ssed considerable musical talent; he was,
moreover, a true and enlightened Christian. He had spent about a month
at Stratton, when Captain Berrington made him an offer to act as tutor
to his children. This he had eagerly accepted, and had faithfully
fulfilled his trust, never showing the slightest inclination to resign
it. The boys were very fond of him, and, for the few hours they were
every day engaged in their studies, they worked most diligently. He
also afforded Mrs Berrington considerable help in instructing the
girls, so that they were fully as well educated, at all events, as the
generality of young ladies.

Mrs Hugh Berrington received a letter from her husband, saying that his
brother Frank and family had arrived, including a Miss Emily Saville,
the younger sister of Mrs Berrington, and that they proposed setting
out directly the ladies should have recovered the effects of the
sea-voyage. The letter had been some days coming; no time was to be
lost, the party might quickly follow. Mrs Hugh and the girls were busy
from morning to night making preparations for the reception of their
relatives. Mr Hayward insisted on putting up a hut for himself near
that of the overseer, in order that his room might be devoted to their
use; and Paul, answering for Harry, agreed to follow his example. Even
then it would require pretty close packing to accommodate the two
families.

All preparations had been made, and Mrs Hugh Berrington began to wish
that her relatives would arrive and terminate the period of suspense.

It was nearly two months since the drays had started, when one evening,
just as Paul had returned from stocking the cattle, and was on his way
home, with his saddle on his arm, he caught sight of a person on
horseback galloping towards him.

"It must be Harry!" he cried. "No--yes--it is him! He'll bring us
news."

Harry soon came up, and as he threw himself from his steed and shook
hands with his brother, exclaimed, "They'll be here soon after dark, and
father sent me on that mother might have supper ready, and be prepared
for them."

"What sort of people are they? How do you like them?" asked Paul.

"As to that, if we take them in the lot, the less said about them the
better. Uncle Frank's a fine fellow, and father seems very glad to have
him; but Aunt Augusta--well, you'll see her when she comes. She wishes
herself home again, and so do Evelina and Adela, I suspect. The younger
boys are jo