with the others. He was allowed, however, to sit up and
to read as many story-books as he liked. They were full of stirring
adventure and hairbreadth escape. It was quite a common everyday thing
in them for a boy to save a person's life and risk his own. Why could
not something of the same nature happen at Easney?

Certainly it was a very quiet place, with no wild animals or dangerous
mountains, but still there might be a chance even at Easney of doing
something remarkable. Dickie might tumble into a pond and he might save
her life--only there was no water deep enough to drown her, and if there
were he could not swim. Or the house might catch fire. That would do
better. It would be in the night, and Ambrose would be the only one
awake, and would have to rouse his father, who slept at the other end of
the house. He would wrap himself in a blanket, force his way through
smothering smoke and scorching flames, cross over burning planks with
bare feet, climb up a blazing flight of stairs just tottering before
they fell with a crash, and finally stand undismayed at his father's
side. Then he could say quietly, "Father, the house is on fire, but do
not be alarmed;" and his father would soon put everything right. After
which he would turn to Ambrose and say, "My son, you have saved our
lives by your courage and presence of mind. Henceforth I know that I
can trust you."

How easy and natural all this seemed in fancy!

It was late in October when the doctor paid his last visit to the
Vicarage and declared everyone to be quite well again, but he advised
change of air for Dickie, who did not get very strong. Shortly
afterwards, therefore, it was settled that she and the baby should go
away for a month with Mr and Mrs Hawthorne. This would leave only
Ambrose, Nancy, and David at home with Miss Grey, and the nursery would
be empty, which seemed a very strange state of things. But there was
something else settled which was stranger still to Ambrose, and he
hardly knew if he liked or dreaded it. He was to go every morning to
learn Latin with Dr Budge.

Although it was strange, it was not a new idea, only it had been talked
of so long that he had come to feel it would never really happen. He
knew how vexed his father was that he could not give more regular time
and attention to teaching him Latin. When he knocked at the study door
with his books under his arm, it often happened that the vicar would be
full of other