dering
when Mr. Rivers would have done with his father, betook himself to civil
demonstrations to the creature, who received them with dignity, and
presently, after acknowledging with his tail, various whispers of "Good
old fellow," and "Here, old Rollo!" having apparently satisfied himself
that the young gentleman was respectable, he rose, and vouchsafed to
stand up with his forepaws in the gig, listening amiably to Norman's
delicate flatteries. Norman even began to hope to allure him into
jumping on the seat: but a great bell rang, and Rollo immediately turned
round, and dashed off, at full speed, to some back region of the house.
"So, old fellow, you know what the dinner-bell means," thought Norman.
"I hope Mr. Rivers is hungry too. Miss Cleveland will have eaten up her
whole luncheon, if this old bore won't let my father go soon! I hope he
is desperately ill--'tis his only excuse! Heigh ho! I must jump out to
warm my feet soon! There, there's a drop of rain! Well, there's no end
to it! I wonder what Ethel is doing about Cocksmoor! It is setting in
for a wet afternoon!" and Norman disconsolately put up his umbrella.

At last Dr. May and another gentleman were seen in the conservatory, and
Norman gladly proceeded to clear the seat; but Dr. May called out, "Jump
out, Norman, Mr. Rivers is so kind as to ask us to stay to luncheon."

With boyish shrinking from strangers, Norman privately wished Mr.
Rivers at Jericho, as he gave the reins to a servant, and entered the
conservatory, where a kindly hand was held out to him by a gentleman
of about fifty, with a bald smooth forehead, soft blue eyes, and gentle
pleasant face. "Is this your eldest son?" said he, turning to Dr.
May--and the manner of both was as if they were already well acquainted.
"No, this is my second. The eldest is not quite such a long-legged
fellow," said Dr. May. And then followed the question addressed to
Norman himself, where he was at school.

"At Stoneborough," said Norman, a little amused at the thought how angry
Ethel and Harry would be that the paragraph of the county paper, where
"N. W. May" was recorded as prizeman and foremost in the examination,
had not penetrated even to Abbotstoke Grange, or rather to its owner's
memory.

However, his father could not help adding, "He is the head of the
school--a thing we Stoneborough men think much of."

This, and Mr. Rivers's civil answer, made Norman so hot, that he did not
notice much in passing thr