noon for a walk! the beach is hard as a floor, and the tide out."
But Trafford was oblivious to all hints, and at last, on one warm,
balmy, cloudless afternoon, Noll thought, "It is now, or never! I'll
ask him at once." And straightway he started for the library, where he
knew his uncle sat reading.

CHAPTER XIX.

A HAPPY WALK.

Trafford looked up from his books as his nephew entered, and greeted
him with a smile. Noll thought this welcome portended good, and
remembered, with a grateful thrill in his heart, that Uncle Richard
had fallen into the habit of greeting him thus of late. He went up to
the reader's chair, and without waiting for his courage to cool, laid
a hand on the reader's arm, saying,--

"Uncle Richard, I've come to ask a great favor of you. Do you think
you'll grant it? Can't you guess what it is?"

Trafford did not reply at once, but sat looking steadfastly into his
nephew's face, his eyes wearing the dreamy, far-away look which
lingered in them much of late, and it was not until Noll had repeated
his question that he replied, musingly,--

"I'm sure I cannot think. Perhaps you wish more pocket-money, or--"

"Oh, no!" answered the boy, quickly, "it's nothing like that, Uncle
Richard! It's--it's--oh, it's will you take a walk?"

Trafford's forehead began to wrinkle and slowly gather the shade of
gloom which seemed always hovering about him, even in his most
cheerful moments; but before it had time to cover the man's brow, and
before he could utter a refusal, Noll's hand was endeavoring to
smooth away the wrinkles, and he was saying,--

"There, don't say 'No,'--don't, Uncle Richard! I won't ask you to go
again if you are not pleased with this walk, but _this_ time--just
_this_ once--do say 'Yes,' uncle! There can't be a pleasanter
afternoon in the whole year than this, and I've walked alone, always
till now. Why, Uncle Richard, you won't say 'No' _this_ time?"

Trafford hesitated, a refusal trembling on his lips, which he did not
quite wish to utter. The boy _had_ walked alone, he remembered, and it
was a very simple request to grant; and if it was going to be such a
pleasure and gratification to Noll, why not yield, and for once put
aside his own preferences and inclinations? It is not an easy matter
for a man who has lived only for himself and his own pleasure to put
the gratification of these aside to give place to the happiness and
comfort of another; but, with an eff