dy done earlier in the afternoon,
and he was not afraid to say so.

'You're really too bad, Jus,' he exclaimed. 'Pat's far too patient. If I
were he I wouldn't stand it.'

This gave Pat great satisfaction, for though he seemed unsociable and
morose he was really very sensitive to other people's opinion of him,
and eager for approval.

'Don't you meddle,' said Justin. 'Pat and I can manage our affairs
without you. We're both older than you, remember.'

But before Archie had made up his mind what to reply, the threatening
quarrel was put a stop to by an unexpected diversion. They had by this
time left the moor and were making their way home by a little lane which
skirted their own fields, across which it was not always easy to make
one's way in the dark. A few yards ahead of them this lane ran into the
road, and just at this moment, to their surprise, they caught sight of a
carriage driving slowly away from Moor Edge.

'What can that be?' said Justin. 'It's the fly from the station, I'm
almost sure. I know it by the heavy way it trundles along.'

'I do believe,' said Archie joyfully, 'that it's papa and mamma come
back without warning!'

His brothers did not seem equally pleased.

'If it is,' said Justin, 'we'll get into a nice scrape for being out so
late. Run on, Archie, you're mamma's pet, and tell her we're just
behind.'

Archie made no objection to this, he was not unused to being employed in
this way, and when a few minutes later the elder boys entered the house,
they found that their pioneer had done his work well.

Their mother was crossing the hall on her way upstairs when she caught
sight of them coming in by a side door; Archie was beside her, laden
with bags and rugs.

'My dear boys,' said Mrs. Hervey, 'you shouldn't be out so late. I was
just beginning to wonder what had become of you when Archie ran in.'

'We never thought you'd come back to-night,' said Justin, as he kissed
her, 'or we'd have been in, or gone along the road to meet you.'

'That's not the question,' said their father's voice from the other side
of the hall, where he was looking over some letters that had come for
him. 'I'm afraid it's a case of "when the cat's away,"' but by the tone
of his voice they knew he was not very vexed. 'So, Pat,' he went on,
'you were out too. I'm glad of that, it's better than being always
cooped up indoors. What have you all been after? Archie says you weren't
far off--were you with Griffith?'