ad
come prepared for the conquest which she always made; his awkward,
boyish manner and uncared-for appearance, the dissatisfied look upon
his face, and the ink stains on his collar, all were noticed in one
loving glance, and touched her warm heart.

"Well, Jack," she said, "you see Mahomet has come to the mountain. How
are you, dear?"

Jack muttered that he was quite well. It was rather embarrassing to be
called "dear." He attempted to hide his confusion by wiping his nose;
but in producing his handkerchief, he pulled out with it a forked
catapult stick and a broken metal pen-holder, which clattered to the
ground and had to be picked up again.

"How you've grown!" said Queen Mab, "and--my senses! what muscles
you've got," she added, feeling his arm.

Jack grinned and bent his elbow, the next moment he straightened it
again.

"Go on!" he said; "you're chaffing me."

"I'm not. I wish you'd been at Brenlands at Easter, and I'd have set
you to beat carpets. Never mind, I shall have you with me in a
fortnight."

"I don't think I shall come," he began.

"Stuff and nonsense!" interrupted the aunt. "I say you _are_ coming.
Valentine never makes excuses when I send him an invitation. Don't you
think I know how to amuse young people?"

"Oh, yes; it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know," answered the boy, grinning, and kicking the leg of the
table.

"Of course you don't; so you've got to come. Valentine's sisters will
be there; you'd like to meet the two girls?"

"No, I shouldn't."

"Oh, shocking! you rude boy."

Jack stood on one leg and laughed; this was like talking to a fellow in
the Upper Fourth, and his tongue was loosed.

"They'd hate me," he said; "I don't know anything about girls."

"I should think you didn't. Wait till you see Helen and Barbara."

"But there's another thing. I haven't got any clothes."

"My dear boy, how dreadful! Whose are those you are wearing now?"

"Oh, go on, aunt; what a chaff you are! I don't mean that--I--"

"No, you evidently don't know what you mean. Well, one thing's
settled, you're coming to Brenlands for the summer holidays."

The battle was won, and Queen Mab had gained her usual victory.

"How is your father? Didn't he send me any message?"

"Yes, I think he told me to give you his love."

"Is that all?"

"Well, that's a jolly sight more than what he sends to most people,"
answered the boy.

He would have been surprised to hav