it to
the water, for which it was made. Chatty had been almost as much a piece
of still life as the boat: but the baptism of the spray had been flung
in her face, and dreams of triumphant winds and dazzling waves outside
had crept into her cave. Minnie was conscious of no longings, but she
knew that it was time to prepare Theo's linen, to see that everything
was marked, so that he might have a chance at least of getting his things
back from the wash. And Chatty had knitted him half a dozen pairs of
silk socks,--some in stripes of black and white, some violet, like a
cardinal's,--suitable for his mourning. No one, however, mentioned the
subject until the beginning of October, when, as they sat at luncheon
one day, it was suddenly introduced by Miss Warrender without timidity,
or recollection that there was any doubt about it. "When does term
begin, Theo?" his sister asked, in the midst of the usual conversation.
The other ladies, who were more quick to sympathise with his feelings,
held their breath; but Minnie put her question quite simply, as if she
expected him (as she did) to say "the 15th" or "the 17th," as the case
might be.

Theo paused a moment, and cast a glance round them all. Then he answered
in a voice which seemed louder than usual because it was somewhat defiant.
"I don't know," he said slowly; "and if you want the truth, I don't
care."

"Theo!" cried Minnie, with a little scream. Chatty, who had been
contemplating at her ease, when this conversation began, the bubbles
rising in a glass of aerated water which she was holding up to the
light, set it down very quickly, and gave him an appealing look across
the table. Mrs. Warrender looked at him too, pretending, poor lady, not
to understand. "But, my dear," she said, "we must get everything ready;
so it is very necessary to know."

"There is nothing to be got ready, so far as I am aware," he replied,
with a flush on his face, and the look of a man who is making a stand
against his opponents. "I am not going up this term, if that is what you
mean."

Then all three looked at him with different degrees of remonstrance,
protest, or appeal. Mrs. Warrender was much too sensible of her incapacity
to prevail against him to risk any controversy. And even Minnie was so
confounded by the certainty of his tone that, except another resounding
"Theo!" the tone of which was enough to have made any man pause in an
evil career, she too, for the moment, found nothing to s