owards him to wish him good-bye. "Good-bye, Louis, I am coming back
next half-year," he said, in a low tone; "and you must help me to regain
my character." Louis squeezed his hand, and promised to write to him,
though he hoped, he said, that he should not come back himself; and when
Ferrers left the hall, the business of affixing the necessary directions
went on very busily. Reginald was in a state of such overflowing delight,
as to be quite boisterous, and now and then burst out into snatches of
noisy songs, rendered remarkably effective by an occasional squeak and
grunt, which proclaimed his voice to be rather unmanageable.

"Now, Louis, here's a piece of string, and my knife.

'Christmas is coming again, my boys!'"

"_Christmas_, Reginald--Midsummer!" cried Louis, laughing.

"Well then, ah, well! tie it tight.

'Midsummer's coming again, my boys,
Jolly Midsummer, and all its joys;
And we're all of us cracked, so we'll kick up a noise.
_Chorus_. Ri-toorul-loor, rul-loor, rul-loor-rul. Hip, hip, hurrah!
Hollo!'"

The sensible chorus was shouted at the utmost pitch of the voices
of the assembled youths, who waved hats, hands, and handkerchiefs,
during the process.

"Bravissimo!" exclaimed Reginald, quite red with his exertions, and
beaming with excitement. "But my beautiful voice is very unruly; the
last few times I have tried to sing, it has been quite disobedient.
I think it must be cracked, at last."

"Are you not pleased?" said Louis, archly.

"Not particularly," replied Reginald.

"You said you should be, last Christmas. Do you remember the ladies
at grandpapa's?"

"Well, there is that comfort at any rate," said Reginald, "we shan't
have any more of their humbug; but think of the dear old madrigals,
and--it's no laughing matter, Mr. Louis, for all your fun."

"Acknowledge, then, that you spoke rashly, when you said you should
be glad of it," said Louis, who was full of merriment at his brother's
misfortune.

And now Vernon, Arthur, and Frank Digby pressed forward, to bid good-bye.

As Vernon shook Louis' hand, he said, "I shall see you at Heronhurst,
I suppose."

"I suppose _I_ mustn't dare to go," said Frank.

"And now I shall go and gather some of those white roses by the wall,
for mamma," said Louis. "I hope it won't be very long, Reginald, they
must be here soon--oh, how delightful it will be!"

Louis ran off, and succeeded in finding a few half-blown