t on one side of his mother, and on
the other sat a person who was _not_ a member of the family--Mr.
Cunningham's curate, a great big broad-shouldered young man, six feet
three at least in height, with a pleasant, open face, rather sun-burnt,
and the most good-tempered smile that you can possibly conceive.

Two of the children of the house were absent--the second son, a
midshipman in the Queen's service, who was now on his way to Japan; and
the third, who was expected home this very evening from school.

A little talk sprang up about him among his brothers and sisters, begun
by a 'wonder' from one of the little girls as to when he would arrive;
and strange to say, at the mention of his name, the lines on the
father's brow deepened a little, and Mrs. Cunningham's face took for a
moment quite a sorrowful expression.

'I almost hope he will not come till tea is over,' she said.

It did not sound like a motherly sentiment, but it was spoken out of the
depths of a true motherly feeling.

Cecil Cunningham was coming home in a kind of disgrace. He had been
placed at a good grammar school in the county town, some fourteen miles
from Wilbourne, had won for himself an 'exhibition,' as it was called,
by which the greater part of his school expenses were defrayed, and
would have been allowed to keep it till he went to college had his
progress during the first year been sufficiently good. But, alas! it had
just been discovered that the marks he had gained for his various
studies throughout this time did not, when counted up, amount to the
rather high total which the founder's will required; and so it had been
announced to him and his parents that he had forfeited the 'exhibition,'
and could not be received at the school again unless his father were
prepared to pay the full terms, which, though not very high, happened to
be more than Mr. Cunningham could justly afford. The middy had lately
been fitted out for sea. The son at Sandhurst was a considerable
expense; and though it was hoped that after another six months he would
succeed in getting a commission without purchase, there would be his
outfit and yearly allowance to provide; and altogether, Mr. Cunningham
did not see his way to giving Cecil such advantages as he could wish,
without the help of that 'exhibition' which the boy had just lost by
his own fault.

Cecil was very clever, and, though rather idle by nature, had promised
to work hard at school, and had been supposed