g hard at his studies. But he
was very fond of all the little folks at Summerfield Rectory, and the
days to the long vacation were nearly as eagerly counted by Uncle Gee,
even amidst his more serious business, as by the flock of eager little
adorers at the quiet home in the west. Everything that was nice and
pleasant was deferred until his arrival, and a queer variety of
treasures were hoarded up for his inspection long before he came.

"And Uncle Gee amply rewarded his faithful adherents, for when he came,
he brought universal sunshine with him, and was as ready to enter into
all their pursuits and share all their games as the veriest child
amongst them. He was the best teacher of trapbat and rounders Bob and
Tom knew for miles round; and yet he was as skilful and neathanded at
repairing the damages in Mary's doll house, and the fractures of baby's
doll, so that he might have been a carpenter by trade.

"So when at teatime, one summer evening, Mamma said to the children, who
were all round the large long table, 'To-morrow Uncle Gee is coming!'
they all burst out in one regular shout of delight, for this time he had
gone on a visit to a friend first, and his young relations' calculations
had been all put out, and they had been waiting day after day in the
vain hope of seeing him. The noise and chatter round the tea table that
evening were really deafening, and would have been quite annoying to
anyone but Mamma, who smiled, and said it was a little taste of
preparation for the uproar that always lasted all through Uncle Gee's
visit.

"And next day he came, to the great delight of all the young folks, and
if he had been nearly as patient as Mamma, and quite as brave as Papa,
(who did not even fear mad bulls, said baby!) why he would have been
driven deaf, dumb, and blind, by all the voices talking in their loudest
keys at once, or else would have expected to be torn in pieces by all
the eager hands that clung to him and pulled him about. I think Papa and
Mamma, and Uncle Gee too, in spite of all their kindness and affection
for the uproarious little mob, were thankful enough when the children's
bedtime came, and they were all taken off, loudly declaring that it was
_not_ time yet.

"Next morning they were all up like larks, and had finished dressing
sooner than usual, but, to their great horror, they looked out and saw
the sky covered with leaden clouds, and heard the steady, heavy drops of
rain falling on the sky-lig