e Oxford term begins in a few days, and you have for some years been
entered at Magdalen College. I do not expect you to be a scholar, but
I do expect you to brush off your rough ways and your local ideas, and
to learn to become such a person both in your conduct and your mind as
a gentleman of your station should be."

"Is George to go to college too?"

"No; I have spoken to him on the subject, and he does not wish it. He
says very wisely that, with his small prospects, he would rather spend
the time in learning how to earn his living. So he is going to be
articled to the Roxham lawyers, Foster and Son, or rather Foster and
Bellamy, for young Bellamy, who is a lawyer by profession, came here
this morning, not to speak about you, but on a message from the firm
to say that he is now a junior partner, and that they will be very
happy to take George as an articled clerk. He is a hard-working,
shrewd young man, and it will be a great advantage to George to have
his advice and example before him."

Philip assented, and went on in silence, reflecting on the curious
change in his immediate prospects that this walk had brought to light.
He was much rejoiced at the prospect of losing sight of George for a
while, and was sufficiently intelligent to appreciate the advantages,
social and mental, that the University would offer him; but it struck
him that there were two things which he did not like about the scheme.
The first of these was, that whilst he was pursuing his academical
studies, George would practically be left on the spot--for Roxham was
only six miles off--to put in motion any schemes he might have
devised; and Philip was sure that he had devised schemes. And the
second, that Oxford was a long way from Maria Lee. However, he kept
his objections to himself. In due course they reached the buildings
they had set out to examine, and the old squire, having settled what
was to be done, and what was to be left undone, with characteristic
promptitude and shrewdness, they turned homewards.

In passing through the shrubberies, on their way back to the house,
they suddenly came upon a stolid-looking lad of about fifteen,
emerging from a side-walk with a nest full of young blackbirds in his
hand. Now, if there was one thing in this world more calculated than
another to rouse the most objectionable traits of the old squire's
character into rapid action, it was the discovery of boys, and more
especially bird-nesting boys, in his