"If you'll wait until I finish
my French I'll come with you."

"Of course I will," said Lansing reproachfully; "you don't suppose
there's any fun anywhere for me without you, do you?"

"No," said Drina simply, "I don't."

"Another Phyllis in embryo," murmured Eileen to Selwyn. "Alas! for
education!"

Selwyn laughed and turned to Gerald. "I hunted high and low for you
before I came to Silverside. You found my note?"

"Yes; I--I'll explain later," said the boy, colouring. "Come ahead,
Eily; Boots and I will take you on at tennis--and Philip, too. We've an
hour or so before luncheon. Is it a go?"

"Certainly," replied his sister, unaware of Selwyn's proficiency, but
loyal even in doubt. And the five, walking abreast, moved off across the
uplands toward the green lawns of Silverside, where, under a gay lawn
parasol, Nina sat, a "Nature book" in hand, the centre of an attentive
gathering composed of dogs, children, and the cat, Kit-Ki, blinking her
topaz-tinted eyes in the sunshine.

The young mother looked up happily as the quintet came strolling across
the lawn: "Please don't wander away again before luncheon," she said;
"Gerald, I suppose you are starved, but you've only an hour to wait--Oh,
Phil! what wonderful trout! Children, kindly arise and admire the
surpassing skill of your frivolous uncle!" And, as the children and dogs
came crowding around the opened fish-basket she said to her brother in a
low, contented voice: "Gerald has quite made it up with Austin, dear; I
think we have to thank you, haven't we?"

"Has he really squared matters with Austin? That's good--that's fine!
Oh, no, I had nothing to do with it--practically nothing. The boy is
sound at the core--that's what did it." And to Gerald, who was hailing
him from the veranda, "Yes, I've plenty of tennis-shoes. Help yourself,
old chap."

Eileen had gone to her room to don a shorter skirt and rubber-soled
shoes; Lansing followed her example; and Selwyn, entering his own room,
found Gerald trying on a pair of white foot-gear.

The boy looked up, smiled, and, crossing one knee, began to tie the
laces:

"I told Austin that I meant to slow down," he said. "We're on terms
again. He was fairly decent."

"Good business!" commented Selwyn vigorously.

"And I'm cutting out cards and cocktails," continued the boy, eager as a
little lad who tells how good he has been all day--"I made it plain to
the fellows that there was nothing in it for me. And, Phili