n voiced his hopes.

"Of course you will," said Michael. "And at Lord's. I think I shall ask
my mother and sister up for Eights," he added.

Alan looked rather disconcerted.

"What's the matter?" Michael asked. "You won't have to worry about them.
I'll explain you're busy with cricket. Stella inquired after you in a
letter this week."

During the Easter vacation Alan had stayed once or twice in Cheyne Walk,
and Stella who had come back from an arduous time with music and musical
people in Germany had seemed to take a slightly sharper interest in his
existence.

"Give her my--er--love, when you write," said Alan very nonchalantly.
"And I don't think I'd say anything about those four wickets for
forty-eight. I don't fancy she's very keen on cricket. It might bore
her."

No more was said about Stella that evening, and nothing indeed was said
about anything except the seven or eight men competing for the three
vacancies in the Varsity eleven. At about a quarter to ten Alan
announced as usual that "those men will be coming down soon for cocoa."

"Alan, who are these mysterious creatures that come down for cocoa at
ten?" asked Michael. "And why am I never allowed to meet them?"

"They'd bore you rather," said Alan. "They're people who live on this
staircase. I don't see them any other time."

Michael thought Alan would be embarrassed if he insisted on staying, so
to his friend's evident relief he got up to go.

"You House men are like a lot of old bachelors with your fads and
regularities," he grumbled.

"Stay, if you like," said Alan, not very heartily. "But I warn you
they're all awfully dull, and I've made a rule to go to bed at half-past
ten this term."

"So long," said Michael hurriedly, and vanished.

A few days later Michael had an answer from his mother to his invitation
for Eights Week:

173 CHEYNE WALK,

S.W.

May 5.

My dearest Michael,

I wish you'd asked me sooner. Now I have made arrangements to help
at the Italian Peasant Jewelry Stall in this big bazaar at
Westminster Hall for the Society for the Improvement of the
Condition of Agricultural Laborers all over the world. I think
you'd be interested. It's all about handicrafts. Weren't you
reading a book by William Morris the other day? His name is
mentioned a great deal always. I've been meeting so many
interesting people. If Stella comes, why not ask Mrs. Ross to
chaperon