r two tempted them
to linger upon the way. It was cooler than Keith had anticipated, for a
fresh breeze was blowing from the Surrey Hills, sending white clouds in
long streamers across the blue of the sky, and shaking down a few
windfalls from the apple trees that overhung Farmer Walton's gate.

The two soon left the high road, and, after strolling leisurely through
the welcome shade of the wood, climbed over a stile into a pasture, and
after another five minutes' walking found themselves in a stubble field,
within sight of the river. Here was the subject upon which Aldred had
determined to try her brush. It was a picturesque old cottage, with
red-tiled roof, lattice windows, a porch wreathed in purple clematis,
and a garden gay with dahlias, looking attractive enough in the
September sunshine to make even an amateur wish to commit its beauties
to paper.

Aldred chose her point of view with great deliberation, and considerable
taste for a girl of only fourteen. She fixed her easel where a couple of
elders would make a background for the red roof, and where she could
catch a pleasant angle of the gable window and a peep of the distance
beyond. Having unpacked her portfolio, she settled herself on her camp
stool and began to put in her sketch with rapid lines, working, indeed,
more quickly than correctly, but nevertheless obtaining rather a good
effect. Keith, finding a pile of corn stooks conveniently near, flung
himself down in the shade, and, with a fern leaf to flip away flies, lay
with half-closed eyes watching his sister's energetic pencil.

"How you go at it!" he remarked. "It makes me hot just to look at you!"

"Then don't look! I thought you wanted to read? You made me promise not
to open my lips, and I haven't spoken a word since we came."

"Most heroic self-denial on your part, I'm sure! I believe I'm too lazy
even to read. I like to lounge in the holidays, especially when it's
getting so near the end."

"Only a week now to the fourteenth," said Aldred.

"Yes, worse luck! I wish it were a month!"

"And I am counting the days. I want the time to come so much!"

"It's a case of 'where ignorance is bliss', my dear girl. You've never
been to school before; I have! You won't find yourself in such an
anxious hurry to start off by next September, if I'm anything of a true
prophet."

"I expect I shall. All the stories I've read about school sound
delightful--the girls have such fun. I'm looking forward to go