he 'ugly family' will be at church to-day? You
know the ugly family; all with their mouths open and their eyes
goggling, like a jolly old row of pantomime heads. And oh, Dick, suppose
Connie Davenant's people have changed their pew--that'll be a sell for
you rather, won't it?"

"I don't understand you," said Mr. Bultitude stiffly; "and, if you don't
object, I prefer not to be called upon to talk just now."

"Oh, all right!" said Jolland, "there aren't so many fellows who will
talk to you; but just as you please--I don't want to talk."

And so the pair walked on in silence; Jolland with his nose in the air,
determined that after this he really must cut his former friend as the
other fellows had done, since his devotion was appreciated so little,
and Paul watching the ascending double line of tall chimney-pot hats as
they surged before him in regular movement, and feeling a dull wonder at
finding himself setting out to church in such ill-assorted company.

They entered the church, and Paul was sent down to the extreme end of a
pew next to the one reserved for the Doctor and his family. Dulcie was
sitting there already on the other side of the partition; but she gave
no sign of having noticed his arrival, being apparently absorbed in
studying the rose-window over the altar.

He sat down in his corner with a sense of rest and almost comfort,
though the seat was not a cushioned one. He had the inoffensive Kiffin
for a neighbour, his chief tormentors were far away from him in one of
the back pews, and here at least he thought no harm could come to him.
He could allow himself safely to do what I am afraid he generally did do
under the circumstances--snatch a few intermittent but sweet periods of
dreamless slumber.

But, while the service was proceeding, Mr. Bultitude was suddenly
horrified to observe that a young lady, who occupied a pew at right
angles to and touching that in which he sat, was deliberately making
furtive signals to him in a most unmistakable manner.

She was a decidedly pretty girl of about fifteen, with merry and daring
blue eyes and curling golden hair, and was accompanied by two small
brothers (who shared the same book and dealt each other stealthy and
vicious kicks throughout the service), and by her father, a stout,
short-sighted old gentleman in gold spectacles, who was perpetually
making the wrong responses in a loud and confident tone.

To be signalled to in a marked manner by a strange young