alks as wisely as if he were
forty! He is really set on it, do you think, Margaret? I'm afraid so!"

"I think so," said Margaret; "I don't think he ever has it out of his
mind!"

"And when the roving spirit once lays hold of a lad, he must have his
way--he is good for nothing else," said Dr. May.

"I suppose a man may keep from evil in that profession as well as in any
other," said Margaret.

"Aha! you are bit too, are you?" said the doctor; "'tis the husbandman
and viper, is it?" Then his smile turned into a heavy sigh, as he saw
he had brought colour to Margaret's pale cheek, but she answered calmly,
"Dear mamma did not think it would be a bad thing for him."

"I know," said the doctor, pausing; "but it never came to this with
her."

"I wish he had chosen something else; but--" and Margaret thought it
right to lay before her father some part of what he had said of the
temptations of the school at Stoneborough. The doctor listened and
considered at last he rose, and said, "Well, I'll set Ritchie to write
to Ernescliffe, and hear what he says. What must be, must be. 'Tis only
asking me to give up the boy, that's all;" and as he left the room,
his daughter again heard his sigh and half-uttered words, "Oh, Maggie,
Maggie!"

CHAPTER X.

A tale
Would rouse adventurous courage in a boy,
And make him long to be a mariner,
That he might rove the main.--SOUTHEY.

Etheldred had the satisfaction of seeing the Taylors at school on
Sunday, but no Halls made their appearance, and, on inquiry, she was
told, "Please ma'am, they said they would not come;" so Ethel condemned
Granny Hall as "a horrid, vile, false, hypocritical old creature! It was
no use having anything more to do with her."

"Very well," said Richard; "then I need not speak to my father."

"Ritchie now! you know I meant no such thing!"

"You know, it is just what will happen continually."

"Of course there will be failures, but this is so abominable, when they
had those nice frocks, and those two beautiful eighteen-penny shawls!
There are three shillings out of my pound thrown away!"

"Perhaps there was some reason to prevent them. We will go and see."

"We shall only hear some more palavering. I want to have no more to say
to--" but here Ethel caught herself up, and began to perceive what
a happiness it was that she had not the power of acting on her own
impulses.

The twins and their l