dream and wake up scared," he said to Wally, a little
apologetically, before mounting guard. It was Jim's way.

CHAPTER XVI

A CHILD'S PONY

With the spirit of fire and of dew
To show the road home to them all.
KENDALL.

It was quite early next morning when Cecil awoke. One of his grievances
against the country was the way in which the birds acted as alarum
clocks every day, rousing him from his well-earned slumbers fully an
hour before even the earliest milk cart rattling along the suburban
street fulfilled a similar purpose at home. Generally, he managed to
turn over and go to sleep again. This morning, however, he was
unusually wakeful.

He lay turning in his mind his anger against his cousins. Little causes
for annoyance, simple enough in themselves, had been brooded over until
they made up a very substantial total; and now, last night's happenings
capped everything. In his own heart of hearts he knew that he had small
justification for his childish outbursts of anger; only it was not
Cecil's nature to admit any such thing, and if justification were not
evident, his mind was quite equal to manufacturing it. At the end of
half an hour's gloomy pondering he had worked himself up into a fine
state of ill usage, and into the firm belief that Norah and the boys
had no intention but to insult and humiliate him.

To some natures there is a certain comfort in nursing a grievance, and
reasoning themselves into a plaintive state of martyrdom. When Cecil
finally rolled angrily out of bed, he was almost cheerful in the
contemplation of his own unhappiness. They were determined to sneer at
him and lessen his pride, were they? Well, they should see.

Just what they were likely to see, Cecil did not know himself, but the
reflection was soothing. Meanwhile, the birds were maddeningly active,
and an unusual restlessness was upon him. He dressed slowly, putting on
flannels, for the day promised heat, and went downstairs.

Sarah and Mary were busy in the hall, and lifted astonished eyebrows at
seeing the boy down before the others; as a rule Cecil strolled into
the dining-room barely in time for breakfast, or was late altogether.
He took no notice of them, but wandered out to the back, where Brownie
was found instructing a new kitchen assistant in the gentle art of
cleaning a stove. She, too, showed amazement at the apparition, but
recovered sufficiently to offer him tea and scones, to which Cecil did
ju