s, what would you have worn if left to yourself?"

"My black frock-coat and bat," said Jack quickly.

"Nice costume for a railway journey. Orchid in your button-hole of
course, and a pair of straw-coloured kid gloves, I suppose? I have
observed that those are your favourite colour."

Jack nodded.

"Bah! Try and be a little more manly, my lad," said the doctor kindly.
"A healthy young fellow does not want to be so self-conscious, and to
dress himself up so as to look pretty and be admired--or laughed at."

"I'm more likely to be laughed at dressed like this, and with a thing
like half an egg-shell on my head."

"Fools will laugh at anything," said the doctor dryly; "but no one whose
opinion is worth notice would laugh at a sensible costume. You would
have gone down in a tall glossy hat, ironed and brushed up till it
shines again. Hard, hot, uncomfortable, roughened at a touch, and
perfectly absurd in a shower of rain. But it is the fashion, and you
think it's right. Ladies study fashion, lad; look at them after they
have been caught in a shower. Now in that rig-out you could go through
anything."

"Ready?" said Sir John, taking a soft wide-awake from the hat-stand.

"Yes, and waiting," said the doctor; and they entered the carriage,
which was driven off, Jack's last glance on leaving being at Edward on
the doorsteps, as he patted his head, evidently in allusion to his young
master's pith helmet.

"Oh, if I had only been behind him!" thought the lad indignantly; which,
being analysed, meant that a most decided change was taking place, for a
month earlier Jack Meadows could not by any possibility have harboured
the thought of kicking any one for a mocking gesture.

In good time the terminus was reached, and soon after the fast train was
whirling along, leaving the busy town behind, and off and away through
the open country with gathering speed. Father and friend chatted away
to the lad, but he was listless and dull, refusing to be interested in
anything pointed out; and at last a meaning look passed between his
companions, the doctor's eyes saying plainly enough--"Let him be: he'll
come round by and by."

But this did not seem likely to be the case, Jack not even being
attracted by the first glimpse of the beautiful estuary of the Dart when
it was reached in the evening, and they looked down from the heights as
the train glided along, at the town nestling up the slopes upon the
other side of the water