ome, for his
mother sent the invitation."

"Well, Vincent, I am glad you spoke of it at once, for we must make
haste to look over your linen, which generally comes home in a terrible
state. You had better go to-day to the tailor and get measured for your
dress clothes; but you were to have had them for Christmas any way, so
that will be nothing extra."

For Crawley, it must be mentioned, had arrived at an age and height when
a tail-coat was a necessary garment if he went anywhere of an evening.

"No, Mother," he said, "except a pair of porpoise-hide boots and some
leggings; and could I have a gun, do you think? There will be some
shooting, you know."

"A gun, Vincent! Will not the one you have already do?"

"Oh, no, Mother--it is so old and out of date, I should be laughed at.
I might just as well take an arquebus or a crossbow."

"Is not a gun a very expensive thing?"

"Why, you may make it so, of course; but I don't want that. I have been
studying the _Field_, and I can get a good central-fire breech-loader
for L10."

"Ten pounds is a good deal," said Mrs Crawley thoughtfully; "but I
suppose you must have a gun if you want one. Only remember, Vincent,
that I am not rich, and your education and other expenses are very
heavy. And there are your sisters to be thought of--what with their
dresses and their music, drawing and dancing, I have to be very
careful."

"Oh, of course, Mother," said Crawley, going round and kissing her;
"what a dear you are!"

And his heart smote him as he thought of certain "ticks" he owed at
school, and had not yet had the courage to confess to. For Vincent
Crawley, though he had many good qualities, was by no means perfect. He
was rather spoiled by indulgence at home and popularity at school, and
thought a good deal too much of himself for one thing, and for another
he was inclined to be thoughtless and extravagant in money matters. It
is excellent to be generous with money which is absolutely our own; but
to seek to get the credit for generosity at other people's expense is
quite another, and not at all an admirable thing. Crawley knew this in
theory, but practically, if he wanted anything and could get it, he had
it; and if a friend had a longing for ices, strawberry mess, oyster-
patties, or any other school luxury, he would treat him, running up a
score if he had not the cash in his pocket to pay with. And if there
was generosity in this impulse, I fear that there wa