l remember!" said Carmel, waving her hand to him as she watched him
ride away down the drive. Then she turned into the house to set at rest
the panic of anxiety which had arisen over her non-appearance with the
other members of the shopping party.

CHAPTER XV

On the High Seas

There was quite a merry gathering at Cheverley Chase that Christmas. All
the Ingleton children were at home, and with Cousin Clare and Mr.
Stacey, they made a jolly party of nine, a satisfactory number, large
enough to act charades, play round games, and even to dance in the
evenings if they felt inclined. Without exception everybody voted Mr.
Stacey "an absolute sport." He seemed to know a little about everything,
and could help Bevis to arrange his stamp collection, or Clifford his
moths and butterflies; he could name Roland's fossils, give Dulcie tips
for the development of her photos, and teach Lilias to use the
typewriter. He was so cheery and good-tempered over it, too, and so
amusing, and full of fun and jokes, that the young Ingletons buzzed
round him like flies round a honey-pot. There are some people in the
world whose mental atmosphere appears to act like genial sunshine.
Because their uplifting personality demands the best in others' natures,
the best is offered to them. Mr. Stacey's lovable, joyous, enthusiastic
temperament made a wonderful difference at Cheverley Chase. The constant
squabbles and rivalries that had been wont to crop up seemed to melt
away in his presence. Never had there been such harmonious holidays, or
such pleasant ones. It was his idea to take advantage of a brief frost
and flood the lawn, so that the family could enjoy skating there, though
the ponds in the neighborhood were still unsafe. It was Carmel's first
experience of ice, and she struggled along, held up by her cousins,
feeling very helpless at first, but gradually learning to make her
strokes, and enjoying herself immensely. Then there was scouting in the
woods, and there were various expeditions to hunt for fossils in road
heaps and quarries, or to explore hitherto unvisited parts of the
district. There was no doubt that Mr. Stacey had a born knack with young
folks, and as a leader of Christmas fun he was quite unrivaled.

Among the changes for the better at Cheverley Chase there was perhaps
none so great as the marked difference in Everard. Nobody could fail to
notice it. Mr. Bowden considered that the six months spent as a
chauffeur had "