is return for the holidays!--then to Jessie: 'And so you
are _here_, little madam! Mother is making herself quite unhappy about
you.'

Before Jessie could answer, he turned to the maid, asking her to request
Mr. Bardsley to see him for a minute; and she ushered him into the
sitting-room where the children had been, and went off with the message.

Then his little daughter got hold of his hand and whispered, 'I didn't
mean to vex mother; I thought I could have overtaken Cecil. I am very
sorry.'

'Well, I don't think I need tell you not to do such a thing again,' said
Mr. Cunningham with a smile, 'for the temptation is not likely to
recur. These things don't happen every day; do they, Cecil? My boy, I am
sorry for this week of disgrace, and more glad than I can tell you to
find it was not deserved.'

Cecil looked down, coloured, put his hands in his pockets and took them
out again, twisted his eyes in a vain attempt to see the whole extent of
the ink spot on his collar, and finally, standing quite upright, and
looking straight before him, said in a very modest and yet manly way, 'I
am glad you know that I was not really idle, father; but I didn't work
so hard as I ought the last week, and I was stuck-up and made too sure
of success. I would rather you knew that.'

Jessie, looking to see how her father took this, was struck by the
shining of his eyes as they rested on his son; but before he had time to
make any reply, Mr. Bardsley came in; only, Cecil was sure, by the way
his father's hand remained upon his shoulder while he was speaking to
the master, that he understood and appreciated the frank confession, and
that they should be closer friends henceforth than ever before.

Mr. Bardsley gave leave for Cecil to return home at once; and Mr.
Cunningham said he would call again the next day, out of school hours,
to explain more fully how Cecil's prospects were altered, and 'make some
arrangement.' Jessie was rather alarmed at the sound of this, but Cecil
guessed that his father meant to withdraw him from the day school, and
wished to offer some compensation for taking him away in this sudden
fashion, just at the beginning of the half-year.

Spite of Jessie's tired feet, the walk back was very pleasant; and
neither she nor Cecil were insensible to the honour of having their
father all to themselves, and at this unusual time of day too. He
explained that he had met their mother in the village, so anxious about
Jessie, t