singly on the bright face before him.

"Won't I, though?" answered Winnie, nodding her head blithely, and
eying the contents of the plate brought to her by Jane the parlour-maid
with decided relish. "Don't imagine you'll get my share to-day, Dicky
boy, for I'm as hungry as a hawk. I have something to tell you,
however, so please listen;" and between mouthfuls she told in a
rambling style the story of Nellie's triumph and Ada's defeat, ending
with the following words, "Do you know, Dick, when I saw Ada sitting
below Nellie and looking so crestfallen, I could have risen there and
then and danced for joy before her. Will you believe me, I felt so
glad I could hardly restrain my feet till the hour was up, and whenever
liberty was proclaimed, didn't they go well at the Irish jig! Oh
dear!" and Winnie's face was all aglow as she waited her brother's
commendatory remarks on such behaviour.

Dick coughed, blew his nose violently, filled out some water into his
glass, quaffed the draught, cleared his throat, and then said gravely,
"I'll tell you what to do, Win. This evening, after we have finished
studying, I'll teach you a splendid double-shuffle which you will
rehearse to-morrow (with added grace, of course,) in front of the
lovely Ada, and before all the class--Mr. King included. My eye, what
glorious fun!" and vulgar Dick looked across at his sister with beaming
face.

"I dare hardly attempt that," she replied dolefully, "though I should
dearly love doing so. But you see, Dick" (with energy), "Mrs. Elder
detests me so much, and I have been caught in so many faults lately,
that such an awful one as you propose would prove fatal. Your
delightful plan must be abandoned, I am sorry to say."

"Well, perhaps after all you are right," replied the boy, changing his
teasing tone into a serious one. "I daresay Miss Ada's rage would only
increase in fury if she saw you performing a triumph-dance and
rejoicing so extravagantly over her defeat. I remember a few years ago
something of the same kind occurring in our school, and wasn't there a
blow-up at the end! I was one of the little chaps then, but I managed
to keep my eyes and ears open, and knew more about the whole affair
than any one guessed."

"Tell me the story, Dick," interrupted Winnie, holding a spoonful of
tart suspended betwixt her mouth and plate, and speaking eagerly; "do,
there's a dear boy." But Dick shook his shaggy head, and answered,--

"Not just no