lone man, growing old."

"We have been young together," said Dr. May.

"And you must not leave papa," added Ethel.

"No," said Dr. May. "Trouble may be at hand. Help us through with it.
Remember, these children have no uncles."

"You will stay?" said Ethel.

He made a sign of assent--he could do no more, and just then Gertrude
came trotting back, so exceedingly smutty, as to call everybody's
attention. Hector had been shoving Tom half-way up the chimney, in
hopes of reaching the nest; and the consequences of this amateur
chimney-sweeping had been a plentiful bespattering of all the spectators
with soot, that so greatly distressed the young ladies, that Mary and
Blanche had fled away from public view.

Dr. Spencer's first act of possession was to threaten to pull Tom down
by the heels for disturbing his jackdaws, whereupon there was a general
acclamation; and Dr. May began to talk of marauding times, when the
jackdaws in the Minster tower had been harried.

"Ah!" said Dr. Spencer, as Tom emerged, blacker than the outraged
jackdaws, and half choked, "what do you know about jackdaws' nests? You
that are no Whichcote scholars."

"Don't we?" cried Hector, "when there is a jackdaw's nest in Eton
Chapel, twenty feet high."

"Old Grey made that!" said Tom, who usually acted the part of esprit
fort to Hector's credulity.

"Why, there is a picture of it on Jesse's book," said Hector.

"But may not we get up on the roof, to see if we can get at the nest,
papa?" said Tom.

"You must ask Dr. Spencer. It is his house."

Dr. Spencer did not gainsay it, and proceeded even to show the old
Whichcote spirit, by leading the assault, and promising to take care of
Aubrey, while Ethel retained Gertrude, and her father too; for Dr. May
had such a great inclination to scramble up the ladder after them, that
she, thinking it a dangerous experiment for so helpless an arm, was
obliged to assure him that it would create a sensation among the
gossiphood of Stoneborough, if their physician were seen disporting
himself on the top of the house.

"Ah! I'm not a physician unattached, like him," said Dr. May, laughing.
"Hullo! have you got up, Tom? There's a door up there. I'll show you--"

"No, don't papa. Think of Mrs. Ledwich; and asking her to see two
trustees up there!" said Ethel.

"Ah! Mrs. Ledwich; what is to be done with her, Ethel?"

"I am sure I can't tell. If Flora were but at home, she would manage
it."

"Spencer can m