aesar, put it in its place again, and resumed
the occupation of making a willow-wand into a bow, on which he had been
engaged when his father summoned him. If Honorius had met with such a
rebuff, he would have remained bitterly hurt and ashamed for the rest of
the day, and Willie in the same case would have been utterly humbled and
discouraged. Not so 'Jean-sans-terre.' What his cogitations were, his
brothers could not decide; but the result was, that when he had bidden
his father good-night, he paused a minute, and then added, 'May I have
another try at Caesar, papa?' The tone was bright and cheery, and Dr.
Campbell looked up in pleased surprise--

'Do you really mean it, Johnnie?' he said hopefully.

'Yes, I do indeed, papa; but perhaps you wouldn't like the trouble of
looking over another translation. I know that one was awful.'

'If you can take the trouble of writing it, I shall not begrudge the
trouble of looking over it; but mind, it must be well done. I'd rather
you took a month about it than brought me such a one as that of
to-night.'

'Oh, thank you, papa, but that wouldn't suit me at all; I want the
half-crown as quick as I can get it. I'll work night and day rather than
not have the translation done soon.'

'Then I am to understand it is merely for the sake of the half-crown you
are willing to do this bit of Caesar over again?' said Dr. Campbell
disappointedly: 'I had hoped that it was from a better motive--a real
desire to improve and conquer your carelessness, or a wish to please
and satisfy your mother and me.' He looked full at his son as he spoke,
and seemed to expect an answer. It came, bold and true: 'I was only
thinking of the half-crown, papa.' Yet if Dr. Campbell could have known
to what purpose the half-crown was to be devoted, he would have seen
that love to the mother was the primary motive, after all, and would not
have turned away so coldly as he did from this apparently mercenary
speech. Honorius thought so, and would have explained; but Johnnie
pulled his sleeve and whispered something, and meanwhile the Doctor left
the room.

'Oh, how could you answer like that, Johnnie?' remonstrated Willie when
the two boys were alone in the attic which they shared together. 'If you
had told papa what you wanted the half-crown for, he would have been
pleased, whereas now I don't know what he thinks of you.'

'I only gave a plain answer to a plain question,' said Johnnie. 'If he
had asked me what I