s
before they could bring him to a full understanding of what was
required of him. Then he asked drowsily: "If we went to live
anywhere else should I have to go to school in summer as well as in
winter?"

"Of course you would," retorted Mrs. Burton promptly; adding, with
a touch of quite unusual severity: "and it would be a very good
thing for you, because in that case you would have no time to play
such monkey tricks as that which you indulged in to-day."

"Then I'd rather stop here. School in winter is quite tiring
enough, but school all the year round would about wear me out.
Store work is just play compared with the fag of simple equations
and that sort of thing."

Katherine and Miles laughed merrily, while even Mrs. Burton had to
smile. Phil's attitude towards book-learning had always been one
of utter distaste, although in other things he was a good,
hard-working boy, never disposed to shirk nor to waste his time,
even if the matter in hand was not entirely to his mind.

"Now you have all said what you think and feel about it," said
Katherine, "I can have my say on the matter, and I might begin by
putting the most conclusive argument first, which is that I am
quite certain we have no legal or moral right to lay a finger on
Father's business affairs at present; I mean, in the way of
upsetting them. If things were different, and the business was not
prospering, we might have some excuse for meddling and changing; as
it is, we have none."

"Then what did you make all this bother about?" demanded Phil, who
had been roused from his sleepiness by having a wet dishcloth
tucked firmly round his neck by Miles.

"Because it is a privilege we all share equally to do our very best
for our father, and no one of us ought to decide anything momentous
concerning him without taking counsel with the others," Katherine
answered, leaning forward and catching the dishcloth, which Phil
had aimed at Miles.

"It is all very well for Mr. Selincourt to offer us a fancy price
for our land, but if there is a fortune in every acre why shouldn't
we have it? I shouldn't in the least mind being a millionaire,"
said Miles.

"Of course you would not; neither should I: but the secret of the
whole matter turns, according to Mr. Selincourt, on first of all
having a fortune to put into the ground before we can get out the
one that is there waiting for us," laughed Katherine.

"Very well, we'll stick at the store until we have made o