le. Exactly what he said was
entirely between themselves, but Everard burst out into eulogies
regarding the Major to Lilias, who was still his chief confidante.

"One of the best chaps I've ever met! A real good sort! I shan't forget
what he said to me. I can tell you I've come to look at things in a
different light lately. I'll do anything he suggests. I'd trust his
advice sooner than that of anybody I know. I'll have a good talk with
Bowden, and see if he agrees. By Jove! I shall be a surprise packet to
him, shan't I?"

Mr. Bowden was not nearly so much astonished as Everard had anticipated.
He took his ward's return quite as a matter of course, and, lawyer-like,
at once turned to the business side of affairs. After running away and
gaining his own living for so many months, it was neither possible nor
desirable for Everard to go back to Harrow. He had broken the last link
with his school days, and must face the problem of his future career.
His grandfather had wished him to go on to Cambridge, and his guardian
also considered it would be advisable for him to take a university
degree. Meantime his studies were very much in arrears. He had never
worked hard at school, and would need considerable application to his
books before being ready to begin his terms at college. By the advice of
Major Rogers, Mr. Bowden decided to engage a tutor to coach him at the
Chase. The house would be perfectly quiet while the girls and the
younger boys were away at school, and as Everard really seemed to take
the matter seriously, he might be expected to make good progress.

In the matter of a tutor, Major Rogers was fortunately able to recommend
just the right man. Mr. Stacey had been studying for orders at Cambridge
when he was called up, and had joined the army. After serious wounds in
France he had made a slow recovery, and though perfectly able to act as
coach, he would be glad of a period of quiet in the country before
returning to Cambridge. He was a brilliant scholar and a thoroughly good
all-round fellow, who might be trusted to make the best possible
companion for Everard in the circumstances. The whole business was fixed
up at once, and he was to arrive within ten days.

"I'm sorry we shall just miss seeing him!" said Carmel to Everard, on
the evening before the girls went back to Chilcombe Hall. "But I shall
think of you studying away at your Maths. You're clever, aren't you,
Everard? I don't know much about English univers