stions concerning his
schoolfellows, their father said quietly, 'Let Cecil have his tea,' and
began a conversation about politics with the curate, in which none of
the juniors ventured to join except the cadet.

When they rose from the table, the two gentlemen went off to the study;
and with a sigh of relief one of the little girls exclaimed, 'Oh, now
you _can_ come and see the rabbits, Cecil; father won't want you!'

Cecil glanced at his mother; but though she was longing for a good hug
and a little private talk, she thought it better to refrain just then,
and said gently, 'Yes, you can go with Jessie, but don't go out of
earshot;' after which she turned away and went up-stairs.

Jessie, who was just a year younger than Cecil, was his special friend
and ally, and the other long-haired lassie considerately left them
together, and went off to do some gardening; while little Lewis followed
at a respectful distance, not able to tear himself quite away from
Cecil, and yet not presuming to interrupt the confidential talk between
him and his sister.

The rabbit hutch was in a little yard not far from the house, and within
view, as it happened, of the study window. Cecil stroked the soft
creatures' ears, and fondled them a little, and fed them with some
cabbage leaves with which Jessie supplied him; but his manner was rather
absent, and presently he said abruptly, 'I say, Jessie, isn't it an
awful shame?'

Jessie was not prepared for this view of the question.

'I am so sorry,' she said doubtfully. 'I never once thought of its
happening till Dr. Lomax's letter came; for you know, Cecil, you told me
you meant to work. Oh! don't you remember saying it here, in this very
place, when you were making the new bars to Lop-ear's hutch?'

'Well, and I did,' said Cecil gruffly.

'Yes, I know you did; and that made me think you would do it.'

'Well, so I did do it--that's what I mean' said he more gruffly still.

'Did work!' exclaimed she gladly, and quite ready of belief, with the
tender trustfulness of a true sister. 'But oh, then, Cecil how was it
that they didn't give you marks enough? I thought you would have lots to
spare--I did indeed!'

'Humbug!' said Cecil, but not gruffly now; 'it's not so easy to get
marks as all that. I was quite sure of having enough, though--so sure
that I hadn't a second thought about it; and I can't tell to this moment
how it was I didn't, except that Lomax is such a brute!'

'The Doctor!'