cent sort of boy.
Very rough, of course, but Eddy will give him polish. This class of boy
is very quick at picking up things; and if, after a few weeks, Grayson
is disappointed and finds out his mistake, why, then, we have behaved in
a neighbourly way to him and Helen, and there's an end of it."

"But it seems so shocking for poor Eddy, my dear," remonstrated Lady
Danby.

"Fish! pooh! tchah! rubbish! not at all!"

"Eddy may pick up bad language from him, and become rude."

"He had better not!" said Sir James. "He knows differently. The other
young dog will learn from him. Make him discontented, I'm afraid; but
there--it is not our doing."

Lady Danby sighed.

"They'll come back in a hour or two quite companions," continued Sir
James. "Boys like that are a little awkward at their first meeting.
Soon wear off. I am going to write letters till three. After their
dinner perhaps I shall take them in the boat down the river."

Lady Danby sighed again, and Sir James went to see to his letters for
the post.

By this time Master Edgar had walked softly out on to the lawn, with his
right hand in his pocket, and his left thumb playing about his mouth,
looking the while in all directions but that occupied by Dexter, who
followed him slowly, waiting for his young host to speak.

But Eddy did not seem to have the slightest intention of speaking. He
only sidled away slowly across the lawn, and then down one of the
winding paths among the shrubs and ornamental trees.

This went on for about ten minutes, during which they got to be further
and further from the house, not a word being spoken; and though Dexter
looked genial and eager as he followed his young host, the silence
chilled him as much as did the studied way in which his companion
avoided his eyes.

"What a beautiful garden you've got!" said Dexter at last.

There was no reply.

Eddy picked up a stone, and threw it at a thrush.

"It's bigger than Dr Grayson's," said Dexter, after a pause.

Eddy picked a flower, gave a chew at the stalk; then picked it to
pieces, and threw it away.

Then he began to sidle along again in and out among the trees, and on
and on, never once looking at his companion till they were at the bottom
of the garden. A pleasant piece of lawn, dotted with ornamental trees,
sloped down to the river where, in a Gothic-looking boat-house, open at
either end, a handsome-looking gig floated in the clear water.

"That your boat?" said