of
ball? I haven't played ball since I left Ballarat. Flower wouldn't let
me. She said I might when I came here. She spoke about coming here all
the time, and she always wanted to see your mother. She cried the whole
of last night because your mother was dead. Now has nobody got a ball,
and won't the jolliest begin?"

"I'll play with you, David," said Polly. "Now catch; there! once, twice,
thrice. Aren't you starving? I want my tea, if you don't."

"Flower said I wasn't to ask for anything to eat now that your mother is
dead," responded David. "She said it wasn't likely we'd stay, but that
while we did I was to be on my good behavior. I hate being on my good
behavior; but Flower's an awful mistress. Yes, of course, I'm starving."

"Well, come in to tea, then," said Polly, laughing. "Perhaps you will
stay, and anyhow we are glad to have you for a little. Children, please
don't stare so hard."

"I don't mind," said David. "They may stare if it pleases them; I rather
like it."

"Like being stared at!" repeated Firefly, whose own sensitive little
nature resented the most transient glance.

"Yes," responded David, calmly; "it shows that I'm admired; and I know
that I'm a very handsome boy."

So he was, with dark eyes like a gipsy, and a splendid upright figure
and bearing. Far from being the barbarian of Polly's imagination, he had
some of the airs and graces of a born aristocrat. His calm remarks and
utter coolness astonished the little Maybrights, who rather shrank away
from him, and left him altogether to Polly's patronage.

At this moment Helen and the young Australian girl came down together.
David instantly trotted up to his sister.

"She thinks that perhaps we'll stay, Flower," pointing with his finger
at Polly, "and in that case I needn't keep up my company manners, need
I?"

"But you must behave well, David," responded Flower, "or the English
nation will fancy we are not civilized."

She smiled in a lovely languid way at her brother, and looked round with
calm indifference at the boys and girls who pressed close to her.

"Come and have tea," said Helen.

She placed Flower at her right hand. The Doctor took the head of the
table, and the meal progressed more or less in silence. Flower was too
lazy or too delicate to eat much. David spent all his time in trying to
make Firefly laugh, and in avoiding the Doctor's penetrating glance. The
Maybrights were too astonished at the appearance of their guests to