l;
and those who knew them both well declared that Audrey had got all her
original ideas and unconventional ways from the Doctor.

'Father, I am going to call on the Blakes,' she observed, as he was
about to pass her as he would a stranger.

'Dear me, Audrey, how you startled me! I was deep in original sin, I
believe. The Blakes? Oh, I told young Blake to come up to dinner
to-night; I want Michael to see him. Very well. Give my respects to Mrs.
Blake; and if there be any service we can render her, be sure you offer
it;' and Dr. Ross walked on, quite unconscious that his daughter had
retraced her steps, and was following him towards the town. 'For I
won't disturb him with my chatter,' she thought, 'and I may as well go
to Gage to-morrow; she is sure to keep me, and then it would be rather
awkward if she should take it into her head to talk about the Blakes.
She might want to go with me, or perhaps, which is more likely, she
would make a fuss about my going so soon. If you want to do a thing, do
it quickly, and without telling anyone, is my motto. Father is no one.
If I were going to run away from home, or do anything equally
ridiculous, I should be sure to tell father first; he would only
recommend me to go first class, and be sure to take a cab at the other
end, bless him!'

Dr. Ross walked on in a leisurely, thoughtful fashion, not too
abstracted, however, to wave his hand slightly as knots of boys saluted
him in passing. Audrey had a nod and smile for them all. At the Hill
houses and at the school-house Geraldine might be the acknowledged
favourite; but every boy in the upper and the lower school was Audrey's
sworn adherent. She was their liege lady, for whom they were proud to do
service; and more than one of the prefects cherished a tremulous passion
for the Doctor's daughter together with his budding moustache, and,
strange to say, was none the worse for the mild disease.

A pleasant lane led from the Hill to the town, with sloping meadows on
one side. It was a lovely afternoon in June, and groups of boys were
racing down the field path on their way to the cricket ground. Audrey
looked after them with a vivid interest. 'How happy they all look!' she
said to herself. 'I do believe a boy--a real honest, healthy English
boy--is one of the finest things in the creation. They are far happier
than girls; they have more freedom, more zest, in their lives. If they
work hard, they play well; every faculty of mind and bo