AVID AND JONATHAN

Easter came, and to the boys' great delight Roy was so much stronger
that it was settled he might accompany Dudley to a private boarding
school for one term. Thanks were due to Miss Bertram for this
arrangement; and she had great difficulty in obtaining her mother's
consent to it.

"I am sure the boys will get on best together; Roy will have a better
chance of growing strong if he is with Dudley than if he is to mope by
himself here. If we find he does not keep well, we can have him home
again; and from all we hear of the school, the boys are most carefully
looked after."

And certainly to judge from Roy's appearance and spirits, this plan
seemed most successful. It was a bright morning in April. The air was
cold but dry, and the old garden was sweet with the scent of hyacinths
and narcissuses. Bright beds of tulips and polyanthuses bordered the
green lawn, and old Hal was surveying the results of his work with pride
and satisfaction. Miss Bertram, in her leather gloves and garden apron,
was busy in and out of the hothouses; and the boys, after scampering
round in every one's way, had at last scrambled up to their favorite
seat on the garden wall.

"This time next week we shall be at school," said Dudley; "how funny we
shall feel!"

"We shan't be able to climb walls there, I suppose."

"On half-holidays, perhaps we shall. It isn't all lessons; old Selby
told us the happiest time of his life was when he was at school."

"I mean to be happy," said Roy, a smile hovering about his lips.

"And so do I," maintained Dudley, stoutly; "but it will be awfully
strange at first. It's like Rob going off to be a soldier. We're going
out 'to see life' nurse says."

"Old Principle wants us to come to tea with him before we go. I saw him
this morning going past our gate. He'll give us some of his good advice
like he did Rob, but I don't mind him, he's such a jolly old chap."

There was silence between them for a few minutes. Dudley was eating a
slice of cake which he had brought out of the house with him, and Roy
was dreamily watching the figures of his aunt and the old gardener
moving about amongst the bright colored flower beds.

"Dudley, we'll always keep friends, won't we?"

"Of course we will."

"But I dare say you'll have a lot of fellows at school who can get about
quicker with you than I can; and I don't want to keep you back. I only
want you to like me still best in your heart."

"Now look h