d Will, languidly; "but I cannot rest, so do you go and
order something while I try to cool myself by taking a stroll up this
hill; I'll be back before supper is ready."

"I will go with you," said Mr Cupples, gloomily.

Poor Will would have gladly gone alone, but as he had no good reason for
declining the companionship of his tall and solemn friend, he merely
said "Very good," and walked away. Passing over the hill they came to a
neat little cottage with a small garden in front, in which were a
variety of flowers that evidently were well tended. The windows and
doors of the cottage were invitingly open. As they passed the
garden-gate a voice suddenly exclaimed, "Walk in."

They stopped abruptly, looked at the open door, and then at each other
in surprise.

"Walk in," repeated the voice, louder than before.

"Well, really, I don't see why we should refuse so pressing an
invitation," said Will with a smile.

"You may go in; I'll wait for you," said Mr Cupples.

In another minute our hero was in the lobby of the cottage, and then he
discovered,--on the words "walk in" being reiterated very gruffly,--that
it was a grey parrot which had been thus taught to use the language of
hospitality! Will laughed, and was about to turn on his heel when he
observed a female reclining on a couch in one of the rooms. She looked
up quickly on hearing his step and laugh, and Will, hesitating for a
moment, advanced with the intention of explaining and apologising.

"Forgive my apparent intrusion, madam," he said, "but your parrot
deceived--what!--am I--Flora--Miss Westwood!" he exclaimed in amazement,
leaping forward and seizing her hand.

"Mr Osten!" said Flora, with a look of unfeigned surprise, "can it be--
I--I--did not know--really--"

Now, reader, it would be ungenerous were we to give you a detailed
account of all the absurd things that were uttered at the commencement
of the conversation. Suffice it to say that Will and Flora stammered
and blushed, and grew hot and cold, and tried to look cool and failed,
signally, and then, feeling how very awkward their position was, made a
desperate effort to be commonplace, and so began to talk with intense
solicitude about "the weather!" Will soon perceived, however, that in
the circumstances this was utterly ridiculous, so he made another effort
and asked about Flora's father and mother, and then, happy thought, he
suddenly remembered Buckawanga, and began to descant upon him,