a teacher for those Culm
children? Was that what you meant?"

"I do not know that they need two," said Trafford.

"Yes, I'll give up the school this minute!" said Noll, remembering
that he had not answered his uncle's question; "I'm willing to, if the
children can only have a teacher. Oh, but it seems too good to be
true! And are you really going to hire some one to take my place?"

"I have hardly thought yet; you must not press questions upon me too
fast. I do not know my own mind."

Hagar heard their voices, and came around the piazza corner to say,
"Tea hab been waitin' fur ye dis yer whole hour, Mas'r Dick, an'
'tain't growin' better, nohow. Will ye hab it wait any longer?"

"No, we're coming, shortly," said Trafford, and presently they went in
to tea, for which Noll had not the least appetite, in spite of his
long walk,--it being quite driven away by the question which his uncle
had put to him,--and he spent most of the meal-time in taking keen and
watchful looks at Uncle Richard's face, to see when it began to cloud
over with gloom and grow stern and moody again. But the shadow which
he so much dreaded did not make its appearance, and from the
supper-table they went to the library, where Hagar had lit the lamp,
Noll feeling wonderfully happy and quite sure that this was the eve of
a brighter day for Uncle Richard and the Culm people.

Contrary to his usual habit, Trafford did not take up his books on
reaching the library, but sat looking thoughtfully at Noll, and at
last, as if speaking his thoughts aloud, he said,--

"If a new teacher comes, a new schoolroom will have to follow, as a
matter of consequence; and those two rough benches which I saw over at
Culm are hardly the best style of school furniture. And how is it
about books?"

"There are none but primers and leaves from old spelling-books," said
Noll, sitting very still and quiet with delight at hearing Uncle
Richard ask such questions. It all seemed like a dream, and not at all
a matter of reality. What could have come across the man's feelings so
suddenly and with such effect?

Trafford resumed his inquiries after a short silence, and little by
little drew from his nephew the whole story of the school's
commencement, and what drawbacks the lack of a good room, with seats
and desks and the necessary books, were, till he had made himself
acquainted with all the needs of the school. He talked with Noll about
the Culm people, and