arm friendship of 'the two boys,' and had not the most
remote idea of their disputing his verdict.

'It is very unlucky that I was from home,' he said. 'I am afraid the
disappointment will be the greater from its having gone so far.'

'May I ask whether you are absolutely pledged to Mr. Powell?'

'Why, yes. I may say so. Considering all things, it is best as it is.
I should have been unwilling to vex my good old friend, Mrs. Frost; and
yet,' smiling benignantly on his fretted auditor, 'I have to look out
for the school first of all, you know.'

'Perhaps I shall not allow that Mr. Powell is the best look-out for the
school, sir.'

'Eh? The best under the circumstances. Such a place as this wants
experience and discipline more than scholarship. Powell is the very
man, and has been waiting for it long; and young Frost could do much
better for himself, if he will only have patience.'

'Then his age is all that is against him? The only inferiority to Mr.
Powell?

'Hm! yes, I may say so. Inferior? No, he is superior enough; it is a
mere joke to compare them; but this is not a post for one of your young
unmarried men.'

'If that be all,' cried Louis, 'the objection would be soon removed. It
may be an inducement to hear that you would be making two people happy
instead of one.'

'Now, don't tell me so!' almost angrily exclaimed the Squire. 'Jem
Frost marry! He has no business to think of it these ten years! He
ought to be minding his grandmother and sister. To marry on that
school would be serving poor Mrs. Frost exactly as his poor absurd
father did before him, and she is too old to have all that over again.
I thought he was of a different sort of stamp.'

'My aunt gives her full consent.'

'I've no doubt of it! just like her! But he ought to be ashamed to ask
her, at her age, when she should have every comfort he could give her.
Pray, who is the lady? There was some nonsense afloat about Miss
Conway; but I never believed him so foolish!'

'It is perfectly true, but I must beg you not to mention it; I ought
not to have been betrayed into mentioning it.'

'You need not caution me. It is not news I should be forward to
spread. What does your father say to it?'

'The engagement took place since he left England.'

'I should think so!' Then pausing, he added, with condescending
good-nature, 'Well, Fitzjocelyn, I seem to you a terrible old
flint-stone, but I can't help that. There are considerat