d was told pretty much the same as when
he went away; and, on a further query from Flora, it appeared that an
old naval friend of his father's had hopes of a ship, and had promised
to have him with him, and thereupon warm hopes were expressed that Harry
might have a berth in the same.

"And when is he coming here again, papa?" said Ethel.

"Eh! oh! I can't tell. I say, isn't it high time to ring?"

When they went up at night, every one felt that half the say had
not been said, and there were fresh beginnings on the stairs. Norman
triumphantly gave the key to Richard, and then called to Ethel, "I say,
won't you come into my room while I unpack?"

"Oh, yes, I should like it very much."

Ethel sat on the bed, rolled up in a cloak, while Norman undid his bag,
announcing at the same time, "Well, Ethel, papa says I may get to my
Euripides to-morrow, if I please, and only work an hour at a time!"

"Oh, I am so glad. Then he thinks you quite well?"

"Yes, I am quite well. I hope I've done with nonsense."

"And how did you get on with his arm?"

"Very well--he was so patient, and told me how to manage. You heard that
Sir Matthew said it had got much better in these few weeks. Oh, here it
is! There's a present for you."

"Oh, thank you. From you, or from papa?"

"This is mine. Papa has a present for every one in his bag. He said, at
last, that a man with eleven children hadn't need to go to London very
often."

"And you got this beautiful 'Lyra Innocentium' for me? How very kind
of you, Norman. It is just what I wished for. Such lovely binding--and
those embossed edges to the leaves. Oh! they make a pattern as they
open! I never saw anything like it."

"I saw such a one on Miss Rivers's table, and asked Ernescliffe where to
get one like it. See, here's what my father gave me."

"'Bishop Ken's Manual'. That is in readiness for the Confirmation."

"Look. I begged him to put my name, though he said it was a pity to do
it with his left hand; I didn't like to wait, so I asked him at least to
write N. W. May, and the date."

"And he has added Prov. xxiii. 24, 25. Let me look it out." She did
so, and instead of reading it aloud, looked at Norman full of
congratulation.

"How it ought to make one--" and there Norman broke off from the
fullness of his heart.

"I'm glad he put both verses" said Ethel presently. "How pleased with
you he must be!"

A silence while brother and sister both gazed intently at the crooked