Drusie said eagerly, when Hal began
to stammer out his shamefaced apologies. "I don't want a present from
you one bit. I know quite well that boys must have a great deal to do
with their money at school."

At that Hal got rather red. He remembered the regular weekly visits to
the "tuck-shop;" and he knew that if he had only denied himself a
little, Drusie might have had her birthday present.

"I did ask nurse to advance me some money when I came home," he said in
self-defence, "but she would not."

Drusie assured him again that she had not expected a present, and
begged him not to say anything more about it. And so nothing more was
said; and although Helen was burning to ask him what he had done with
his shilling, she remembered her promise to Drusie, and did not make
any unpleasant inquiries.

Half an hour later Drusie and Jim, having fed all the animals, were
loitering on the sunny terrace together when Hal, looking very spick
and span in a clean suit of flannels, came out with his bat under his
arm.

"I suppose you are going to play cricket," said Drusie in a tone from
which she tried to keep the wistfulness she felt.

"Well, yes; I am," said Hal, carefully avoiding the reproachful gaze of
Jim's brown eyes. "Dodds wanted me particularly, or else, you know,
Drusie, I should have stayed with you, and done what we always do on
our birthdays."

This explanation was meant as a sort of apology, and Drusie never could
bear any one, especially Hal, to apologize to her.

"It doesn't matter, Hal," she said generously, winking away a
troublesome tear that would tremble on her eyelashes. "You have a
right to enjoy yourself in your holidays, and, of course, you are
bigger than all of us now."

"Do you mind very much about my going, Drusie?" Hal said suddenly;
"for, if you do, I will throw Dodds over, and come and defend the fort."

A flash of joy passed over Drusie's face, but the next moment it died
out, and she shook her head. She knew her brother better than he knew
himself, and she was sure that, if he gave up his own wishes for
theirs, he would regret it long before the morning was over.

"No, Hal," she said. "If you promised Dodds, you ought to go."

"Well, don't say that _I_ did not offer," said Hal, very much relieved
that the offer had not been accepted.

"No, I won't; and it was very good of you," said Drusie warmly; and
Hal, feeling that he had behaved very generously, went on his way
whistlin