e against that probability. It
was an invention worthy of a poet, which I am."

"Que les poetes thoient pendus," said Augustus John, with vigour and
sincerity. "Ekthepting Homer and Tennython," he added, as if willing to
be just to all men.

"What for? they've done nothing to you."

"Haven't they! But for them I need not watht my life in making Latin
vertheth. The fighting, though, in Homer and Tennython I like."

In the meantime the four younger children were whispering together over
a large paper parcel, that crackled a good deal.

"Which do you think is the grandest word?" said Bertram.

"I _fallacious_, Janie."

"But you said you would put _umbrageous_," observed Hugh, in a
discontented tone.

"No, those words don't mean _it_," answered Janie. "I like _ambrosial_
best. Put 'For our dear ambrosial Johnnie.'"

The parcel contained as many squibs and crackers as the seller thereof
would trust with his young customers; also one rocket.

Johnnie's little brothers and sisters having written these words, rose
from the floor on which they had been seated, and with blushes and
modest pride presented the parcel.

"For a birthday present," they said, "and, Johnnie, you're to let off
every one of them your own self; and lots more are coming from the
shop."

"My wig!" exclaimed Johnnie, feigning intense surprise, though he had
heard every word of the conference. "Let them all off mythelf, did you
thay? Well, I do call that a motht egregiouth and tender lark."

These epithets appeared to give rarity and splendour to his thanks.
Janie pondered over them a little, but when Crayshaw added, "Quite
parenthetical," she gave it up. That was a word she could not hope to
understand. When a difficulty is once confessed to be unconquerable, the
mind can repose before it as before difficulties overcome, so says
Whately. "If it had only been as hard a word as _chemical_" thought
Janie, "I would have looked it out in the spelling-book; but this word
is so very hard that perhaps nobody knows it but Cray."

For the remainder of the week, though many revolutionary speeches were
made in Parliament against the constituted schoolroom authorities, there
was, on the whole, better behaviour and less noise.

After that, John took his three elder children on the Continent, keeping
the boy with him till Harrow School opened again, and remaining behind
with the girls till the first week in November. During this time he by
no means troubl