m the window,
was thrust out the rosy face, with the gold band? Mary gave such a
shriek and leap, that two passengers and one guard turned round to look
at her, to the extreme discomfiture of Flora and Norman, evidenced by
one by a grave "Mary! Mary!" by the other, by walking off to the extreme
end of the platform, and trying to look as if he did not belong to them,
in which he was imitated by his shadow, Tom.

Sailor already, rather than schoolboy, Harry cared not for spectators;
his bound from the carriage, and the hug between him, and Mary would
have been worthy of the return from the voyage. The next greeting was
for his father, and the sisters had had their share by the time the two
brothers thought fit to return from their calm walk on the platform.

Grand was it to see that party return to the town--the naval cadet,
with his arm linked in Mary's, and Aubrey clinging to his hand, and the
others walking behind, admiring him as he turned his bright face every
moment with some glad question or answer, "How was Margaret?" Oh, so
much better; she had been able to walk across the room, with Norman's
arm round her--they hoped she would soon use crutches--and she sat up
more. "And the baby?" More charming than ever--four teeth--would soon
walk--such a darling! Then came "my dirk, the ship, our berth." "Papa,
do ask Mr. Ernescliffe to come here. I know he could get leave."

"Mr. Ernescliffe! You used to call him Alan!" said Mary.

"Yes, but that is all over now. You forget what we do on board. Captain
Gordon himself calls me Mr. May!"

Some laughed, others were extremely impressed.

"Ha! There's Ned Anderson coming," cried Mary. "Now! Let him see you,
Harry."

"What matters Ned Anderson to me?" said Harry; and, with an odd
mixture of shamefacedness and cordiality, he marched full up to his old
school-fellow, and shook hands with him, as if able, in the plenitude of
his officership, to afford plenty of good-humoured superiority. Tom had
meantime subsided out of all view. But poor Harry's exultation had a
fall.

"Well!" graciously inquired 'Mr. May', "and how is Harvey?"

"Oh, very well. We are expecting him home to-morrow."

"Where has he been?"

"To Oxford, about the Randall."

Harry gave a disturbed, wondering look round, on seeing Edward's air of
malignant satisfaction. He saw nothing that reassured him, except the
quietness of Norman's own face, but even that altered as their eyes met.
Before another word