ked Robinette,
putting her arm in the boy's laughingly, quite unconscious of his
mood.

"I'd wait quick enough if you'd let me! I'd wait a lifetime! There
never was anybody like you in the world!"

The words were said half under the boy's breath and the emotion in his
tone was a complete and disagreeable surprise. Here was something that
must be nipped in the bud, instantly and courageously. Robinette
dropped Carnaby's arm and said: "We'll talk that over at once, Middy
dear, but first you shall race me to the top of the twisting path,
down past the tulip beds, to the seat under the big ash tree.--Come
on!"

The two reached the tree in a moment, Carnaby sufficiently in advance
to preserve his self-respect and with a colour heightened by something
other than the exercise of running.

"Sit down, first cousin once removed!" said Robinette. "Do you know
the story of Sydney Smith, who wrote apologizing to somebody for not
being able to come to dinner? 'The house is full of cousins,' he said;
'would they were "once removed"!'"

"It's no good telling me literary anecdotes!--You're not treating me
fairly," said Carnaby sulkily.

"I'm treating you exactly as you should be treated, Infant-in-Arms,"
Robinette answered firmly. "Give me your two paws, and look me
straight in the eye."

Carnaby was no coward. His steel-grey eyes blazed as he met his
cousin's look. "Carnaby dear, do you know what you are to me? You are
my kinsman; my only male relation. I'm so fond of you already, don't
spoil it! Think what you can be to me if you will. I am all alone in
the world and when you grow a little older how I should like to depend
upon you! I need affection; so do you, dear boy; can't I see how you
are just starving for it? There is no reason in the world why we
shouldn't be fond of each other! Oh! how grateful I should be to think
of a strong young middy growing up to advise me and take me about! It
was that kind of care and thought of me that was in your mind just
now!"

"You'll be marrying somebody one of these days," blurted Carnaby,
wholly moved, but only half convinced. "Then you'll forget all about
your 'kinsman.'"

"I have no intention in that direction," said Robinette, "but if I
change my mind I'll consult you first; how will that do?"

"It wouldn't do any good," sighed the boy, "so I'd rather you
wouldn't! You'd have your own way spite of everything a fellow could
say against it!"

There was a moment of embarrassme