rdens, he was afraid of being seen by his
teacher, and though cook had an unusual display of pots and pans in
operation, he sat in the corner of the kitchen indifferent to everything
but the thought of the Yew-lane Ghost. The dinner for Bessy was put
between two saucers, and as cook gave it into his hands she asked kindly
after his sister, and added--

"You don't look over-well yourself, lad! What's amiss?"

Bill answered that he was quite well, and hurried out of the house to
avoid further inquiries. He was becoming afraid of every one! As he
passed the garden he thought of the gardener, and wondered if he would
help him. He was very young and very good-natured; he had taken of late
to coming to see Bessy, and Bill had his own ideas upon that point;
finally, he had a small class at the night-school. Bill wondered whether
if he screwed up his courage to-night to go, John Gardener would walk
back with him for the pleasure of hearing the latest accounts of Bessy.
But all hopes of this sort were cut off by Master Arthur's voice
shouting to him from the garden--

"Hi there! I want you, Willie! Come here, I say."

Bill ran through the evergreens, and there among the flower-beds in the
sunshine he saw--first, John Gardener driving a mowing-machine over the
velvety grass under Master Arthur's very nose, so there was no getting a
private interview with him. Secondly, Master Arthur himself, sitting on
the ground with his terrier in his lap, directing the proceedings by
means of a donkey-headed stick with elaborately carved ears; and thirdly
Master Arthur's friend.

Now little bits of gossip will fly; and it had been heard in the
dining-room, and conveyed by the parlor-maid to the kitchen, and passed
from the kitchen into the village, that Master Arthur's friend was a
very clever young gentleman; consequently Beauty Bill had been very
anxious to see him. As, however, the clever young gentleman was lying on
his back on the grass, with his hat flattened over his face to keep out
the sun, and an open book lying on its face upon his waistcoat to keep
the place, and otherwise quite immovable, and very like other young
gentlemen, Bill did not feel much the wiser for looking at him. He had
a better view of him soon, however, for Master Arthur began to poke his
friend's legs with the donkey-headed stick, and to exhort him to get up.

"Hi! Bartram, get up! Here's my prime pupil. See what we can turn out.
You may examine him if you l