nd hearing her say to Percy, "Edward is coming on Saturday, Percy; he
is looking forward with such pleasure to taking you about to see the
University sports and the Boat Race. Your dear mamma has kindly asked
two of his college friends to come too, so you will be quite a merry
quartette."

Jeffreys had nearly forgotten Scarfe's existence of late. He no longer
dreaded him on his own account, but on Percy's he looked forward to
Saturday with dismay. He would have liked to know also, as a mere
matter of curiosity of course, what Raby thought about the promised
visit.

His own communications with that young lady had not been very frequent
of late, although they continued friendly. Percy's nonsense gave them
both a considerable amount of embarrassment; for although Jeffreys never
for a moment supposed that Mr Rimbolt's niece thought twice about him
except as a persecuted dependant and a friend to Percy, to have anything
else suggested disturbed his shy nature, and made him feel constrained
in her presence.

"You'll have to mind your eye with Raby now that Scarfe's coming," said
Percy that night. "You bet he'll try to hook her. I heard his mother
flying kites with ma about it, to see how the land lies."

Jeffreys had given up the formality of pretending, when Percy launched
out on this delicate subject, not to know what he was talking about.

"Whatever Scarfe does," said he, "is nothing to me."

"What I don't you and Raby hit it off, then?"

"Hit what off?"

"I mean aren't you dead on her, don't you know?--spoons, and all that
sort of thing?"

"I am not aware that I entertain feelings towards anybody which could be
described by any article of cutlery at all."

"Well, all I can say is, when I blowed her up for being down on you, she
blushed up no end, and cried too. I should like to know what you call
that, if it isn't spoons?"

"I think it would be kinder, Percy, if you did not talk to your cousin
about me; and I fancy she would as soon you did not talk about her to
me."

"Well, that's rather what I should call a shut-up," said Percy. "It
bothers me how people that like one another get so precious shy of
letting the other fellow know it. I know I shan't. I'll have it out at
once, before any other chap comes and cuts me out."

With which valiant determination Percy earned Jeffreys' gratitude by
relapsing into silence.

He was, however, destined to have the uncomfortable topic revived in
another and