hout looking as if he thought it "girl's nonsense" Then the three
piled into the sleigh and drove off, leave Polly nodding on the
doorstep.

Maud found the drive altogether too short, but was consoled by the
promise of a longer one if the sleighing lasted till next Saturday: and
when Tom ran up to bid his mother good-by, and give her a hint about
Maud's gift, she stayed below to say, at the last minute, in unconscious
imitation of Polly.

"Good night; take care of yourself, my dear."

Tom laughed, and was about to pinch the much enduring little nose; but,
as if the words reminded him of something, he gave her a kiss instead, a
piece of forbearance which almost took Maud's breath away with surprise
and gratification.

It was rather a silent drive, for Will obediently kept his muffler up,
and Tom fell into a brown study.

He was not much given to reflection, but occasionally indulged when
something gave him a turn in that direction, and at such times he was as
sober and sincere as could be desired. Any one might have lectured him
for an hour without doing as much good as that little call and the chat
that grew out of it, for, though nothing very wise or witty was
said, many things were suggested, and every one knows that persuasive
influences are better than any amount of moralizing. Neither Polly nor
Will tried to do anything of the sort, and that was the charm of it.
Nobody likes to be talked to, but nobody can resist the eloquence of
unconscious preaching. With all his thoughtlessness, Tom was quick to
see and feel these things, and was not spoilt enough yet to laugh at
them. The sight of Will and Polly's simple affection for one another
reminded him of a neglected duty so pleasantly, that he could not forget
it. Talking of early days made him wish he could go back and start
again, doing better. Grandma's name recalled the tender memory that
always did him good, and the thought that Polly trusted her dearest
brother to his care stirred up a manful desire to deserve the
confidence. Tortures would n't have drawn a word of all this from him,
but it had its effect, for boys don't leave their hearts and consciences
behind them when they enter college, and little things of this sort do
much to keep both from being damaged by the four years' scrimmage which
begins the battle of life for most of them.

CHAPTER XI. NEEDLES AND TONGUES

DEAR POLLY, The Sewing Circle meets at our house this P. M. This is in
your