of a far
wealthier man.

"Man to man, John, we're all in the same boat to-day. Drop the
formality and welcome to the sport. But what sort of sled is this,
man? Looks rather rough, doesn't it? Sure you could manage it on this
steep incline?"

John bridled and Robin looked disappointed. Expectations of the
toboggan-slide's being made ready had filled his head, and he and the
old man had toiled for hours to make the sled at which the Bishop
looked so doubtfully.

"Well, your Reverence--I mean--you without the Reverence--" here the
Bishop smiled and Robin giggled, thereby causing his host to turn
about with a frown. "You see, sir, Robin's always been hearin' about
your toboggan up here to Oak Knowe and's been just plumb crazy--"

At this point the shy lad pulled John's coat, silently begging him to
leave him out of the talk; but the farmer had been annoyed by Robin's
ill-timed giggle, and testily inquired:

"Well, sir, ain't that so? Didn't you pester the life clean out o' me
till I said I'd try? Hey?"

"Y-yes," meekly assented the boy; then catching a glimpse of Dorothy
and Winifred and their beckoning nods he slipped away to them. To him
Dorothy proudly exhibited her beautiful toboggan, explaining its fine
construction with a glibness that fitted an "old tobogganer" better
than this beginner at the sport. Gwen's face beamed again, listening
to her, as if she felt a more personal pride in the sled than even
Dorothy herself. She even unbent so far from her pride of rank as to
suggest:

"If you'll let me borrow it and he'd like to go, I'll take Robin down
once, to show him how smoothly it runs."

Robin's eyes sparkled. He wasn't shy with girls, but only when he felt
himself made too conspicuous by his host's talk.

"Would you? Could she? May she?" he cried, teetering about on his
ragged shoes in an ecstasy of delight.

Dolly laughed and clapped her hands.

"Verily, she should, would, can, and may! laddie boy. But where's your
jacket? I mean your other one? It's so cold, you'll freeze in that
thin one."

By the color which came to the lad's cheek Dolly realized that she had
asked a "leading question," but Robin's dismay lasted only an instant;
then he laughed merrily at the "good joke," and answered:

"Well, you see, Miss Dorothy, my 'other one' is at some tailor's shop
in town. I haven't had a chance yet to choose one, let alone pay for
it! But what matter? 'Tisn't winter all the year and who wears
top-co