said, from the horrible feeling of loneliness that
always seized her as soon as the last fly went down the drive with the
last box on the top of it, and the last girl sitting inside. 'At my age,'
she told them laughingly, 'it is not safe to be left alone. Who knows
that I might not begin talking about rheumatism and nerves, if I had a
whole month to think about myself?' And Auntie Anna, who never talked
about rheumatism by any chance, though it had bent her back for her
ten years ago, nodded her head wisely like the old witch that she was,
and consented to remain at Wootton Beeches with her adopted daughter
and her noisy young nephews until Barbara was well enough to be taken
home. The boys, for their part, enjoyed themselves every bit as well as if
they had been at Crofts; for Finny was first-rate company as long as she
was with them, and she contrived at the same time to leave them to
themselves just as much as they wished to be left. And staying at a
girls' school was by no means such poor fun as might have been expected;
for it was big enough for them to make as much noise in it as they
pleased without disturbing anybody, while they had the run of a capital
gymnasium, and, as soon as their bicycles had been brought from Crofts,
could explore the country for miles round as well. Altogether, the
Easter holidays were a great success, and there were many groans when the
month came to an end, and school once more threatened to darken the
joy of their existence.

'You are a lucky beast, Kit,' observed Peter, as they sat swinging on the
yard gate a couple of mornings before their departure. 'Wish I was you and
needn't go to school.'

'You wouldn't like it, if you were me,' answered Kit, shortly. Nobody
ever guessed how much he wished he were like other boys and could lead
the healthy life they professed to despise so much.

Wilfred, who had just strolled up, had occasional glimmerings of
understanding where Kit was concerned; and he had one now. 'Never mind,
old chap,' he said consolingly. 'You've got all the genius, you know.'

Christopher kicked a stone across the yard without speaking; and Peter
hastened to change the conversation, which he perceived was in danger of
becoming serious. Peter never attempted to understand anybody, but he had
a determined objection to anything that was serious.

'If we've done nothing else these holidays, we have at least saved Jill
from the Doctor,' he remarked with a chuckle.

'Wha