served tone;
"nor am I going to wrong any one by uttering unformed suspicions."

"Enough has been said," remarked Trevannion; "let us drop the subject,
and talk of something more interesting to all parties."

While these young gentlemen pursue their walk, we will retrace our
steps to the wagon, where Louis and his little friend have taken
shelter.

Churchill, finding neither seemed very much inclined to encourage his
conversational powers, took himself off, after remaining in the shade
long enough to cool himself. After his departure Louis and Alfred talked
lazily on of their own pleasant thoughts and schemes, both delighted at
being once more in each other's society. They were within sight of the
masters out on the downs, and who had forbidden them to wander beyond
certain limits, but still so far from their school-fellows as to be able
to enjoy their own private conversation unmolested, and in the feeling
of seclusion.

At length, after a pause, Louis made an original remark on the beauty
of the weather, which was immediately responded to by his companion,
who added that he had not known such a fine day since Miss Wilkinson's
wedding.

"Don't you think so?" said Louis; "I think we had one or two Sundays
quite as fine."

"Perhaps I thought that day so very fine, because I wanted to go out,"
said Alfred.

"What do you mean?" asked Louis: "we had a holiday then."

"Yes, I know, but I was not allowed to go out because I had been idle,
and had spoken improperly to Mr. Norton. I remember it was so sad. I
assure you, Louis, I cried nearly all day; for I was shut up in your
class-room, and I heard all the boys so merry outside. The very thought
makes me quite sorrowful now."

A thought flashed across Louis' mind, and he asked quickly--

"Were you shut up in our class-room that holiday, Alfred? I never saw
you when I went in."

"But I saw you once," said Alfred, "when you came in for an atlas;
and I saw Mr. Ferrers, and afterwards Edward and Mr. Salisbury and
Mr. Trevannion come in; but I was ashamed, and I did not want any
one to see me, so I hid myself between the book-case and the wall."

"Did your brother know you were there?" asked Louis.

"Not _there_," replied Alfred. "He thought I was to go into
Dr. Wilkinson's study; but I could not go there, and I didn't
want him to speak to me."

"Did Ferrers come to fetch any thing, Alfred?"

Alfred laughed. "It won't be telling tales out of school to tell you,