s big
friend, the driver, and very gladly promised him that the next time he
was going to Maplebank he would try to manage so as to be going down on
Jack Davis' day that their friendship might be renewed.

Both Bert and his mother were very glad to get to bed that night.
Coaching is fine fun in fine weather, but it is fatiguing, nevertheless.
You cannot ride all day in a coach without more or less backache, and
Bert was so sleepy that, but for his mother preventing him, he would
have flung himself upon his bed without so much as taking off his boots.
He managed to undress all right enough, however, and then slept like a
top until next morning.

Bright and early they took the train, and by mid-day were at Halifax,
where Mr. Lloyd and Mary received them with open arms and many a glad
kiss.

After allowing him a few days to settle down to home life again, the
question of Bert's going to school was raised. He was now full eight
years of age, and quite old enough to make a beginning. His mother and
sister had between them given him a good start in the "three R's" at
home, for he was an apt pupil, and he was quite ready to enter a larger
sphere.

At first his parents were somewhat undecided as to whether they would
send him to a school presided over by a woman or a man. It was usual in
Halifax for those who preferred the private to the public schools to
send their boys for a year or two to a dame's school as a sort of easy
introduction to school life; and in the very same street as that in
which the Lloyds lived there was such a school where two rather gaunt
and grim old-maid sisters aided one another in the application of primer
and taws. To this institution Mrs. Lloyd thought it would be well for
Bert to go. His father had no very decided views to the contrary, but on
Bert himself being consulted, it became very clear that his mind was
quite made up.

"Please don't send me to 'Old Goggles'' school, father," pleaded he,
earnestly.

"'Old Goggles!' Why, Bert, what do you mean by calling Miss Poster by
such a name as that?"

"It's most disrespectful," interrupted his mother, with a very much
shocked expression, while Mr. Lloyd tried hard, but unsuccessfully, to
conceal a smile beneath his moustache.

"Well, mother, that's what they all call her," explained Bert.

"Even though they do, Bert, you should not. Miss Poster is a lady, and
you must act the gentleman toward her," replied Mrs. Lloyd. "But why
don't you wan