ed
Drusie and Jim to come and sit with him while he had his tea, in order
that he might chatter to them of his doings that afternoon, and about
what he intended to do in future. And, of course, Dodds's name figured
largely in his conversation, and neither Drusie nor Jim could help
feeling rather glum as they heard how completely they were to be left
out in the cold.

"It was a lucky chance meeting him," Hal rattled on. "After dinner I
had a nap, and then I went for a stroll. I crossed over the river and
went up the field that lies next to the Wilderness, and there, sitting
on a gate, I saw Dodds. I can tell you I was surprised, and so was he.
We talked for a bit, and then he asked me to come and play cricket. We
had an awfully jolly afternoon, I can tell you," Hal added for the
fiftieth time, at least. "I am jolly glad that he is here."

"Will you ask him to come over here and play?" said Drusie. "It would
be rather nice to have some cricket with him--wouldn't it, Jim?"

Hal looked as though his ears had been deceiving him.

"What?" he said. "Ask Dodds over here to play with all of you? Why,
you must be out of your senses, Drusie. The idea of Dodds playing with
a girl! I say, how he would laugh!--We might have you, though,
sometimes, Jim; you would be useful for fielding. I will ask him
to-morrow if he would mind."

Jim, far from being overwhelmed at the possible honour in store for
him, privately made up his mind to decline it with thanks when the time
came.

While Hal had been speaking, a sudden idea had occurred to Drusie, and
her face lit up with eagerness and excitement.

"O Hal," she exclaimed, "I believe that Dodds Major is our boy--the
nice boy who rescued Jumbo, and who talked to us for such a long time."

Hal laughed scornfully.

"You don't know Dodds Major," he said. "He is not a bit like that.
Why, I tell you that he hates girls, and wouldn't take any notice at
all of any of you. Why, he is older even than I am."

"So was this boy," said Drusie. "But, of course, if you say that Dodds
Major is not nice, they cannot be the same."

"I never said Dodds was not nice," Hal said impatiently. "I only said
that he was not the sort of boy to play with girls. I expect that
fellow you met this morning was an awful muff."

[Illustration: Chapter IV headpiece]

CHAPTER IV.

DISAPPOINTED HOPES.

For the next two or three days his family saw little of Hal. Morning,
afternoon,