e tell me exactly what you think."

"Well, then," with obvious reluctance, "in my opinion Cedric stands a
very poor chance." Here Dinah's face fell. "He has plenty of abilities,
but I doubt his staying power; he works too much by fits and
starts--there is no method or application. But of course he may turn
over a new leaf. It is just possible that he may pass by some lucky
fluke. It is not always the best workers who get through. You will give
him a coach, of course. Oh, I see," reading Dinah's expression
correctly, "he may have a dozen coaches if he needs them; but if you
care to consult me when the time comes, I think I know the right man
for cramming."

"Oh, thank you--thank you!" in a fervent tone of gratitude; "how good
you are to listen to me so patiently!"

"My dear lady--" in a friendly tone of remonstrance. "But there is
something else you want to say."

"Only this: if Cedric does not pass, what are we to do with him? You
know he has utterly refused to enter the Church or to study for the
law. He has no taste for engineering or architecture, and we should not
care for him to be a business man."

"Need we consider the point at present?" returned Malcolm gently.
"There is a limited number of professions, certainly. What do you say
to a mastership in a public school? I fancy the life would suit Cedric;
his love of boating would score there." Then Dinah brightened visibly.

"We never thought of that; even Elizabeth, who is so full of ideas,
only suggested his going to an agricultural college to learn farming."

"Oh, that would never suit him," replied Malcolm in an off-hand manner.
"He likes to have his bread ready buttered for him; cornfields and
flour-mills are not in his line at all. Ah, here comes the
search-party," and Malcolm looked a little curiously at the book in
Elizabeth's hand.

"Oh, we have had such a hunt for it." Elizabeth looked quite hot and
tired. "Cedric found it at last wedged between two boulders. I wonder
he did not fall into the Pool while he was trying to get it out."

"Oh, Cedric, you ought to be more careful."

"Why on earth did you say that, Betty?" rather crossly. "Don't you see
Die is wearing her grannie face?"

"But the Pool is so deep," in a terrified tone.

"Of course it is deep. Well, what of that; can't I swim like a fish?
Oh, these women, Herrick!" and Cedric shrugged his shoulders. "I wonder
how often I have taken a header into the Pool before breakfast!"

"You wo