hbourly act to their son's schoolmaster and schoolfellows, but that
they were also the means of bringing together teacher and pupil in an
easy unconstrained manner which would hardly be possible within the
walls of the school itself.

It was the prospect of one of these delightful entertainments that was
exhilarating Brown this Saturday afternoon.

And it must be confessed the excitement was due to very opposite
emotions in the breast of the day-boarder. The doctor and his ladies
were coming! On the last two occasions they had been unfortunately
prevented, which had been a great blow to Brown's "pa and ma" but a
relief to Brown himself. And now the prospect of meeting these awful
dignitaries face to face in his own house put him in a small panic. But
on the other hand, he knew there would be jellies, and savoury pie, and
strawberries, and tipsy-cake, at home that night. He had seen them
arrive from the confectioner's that morning, and, Limpet as he was,
Brown smiled inwardly as he meditated thereon. This was a second ground
for excitement. And a third, equal to either of the other two, was that
Parson and Telson were invited and were coming!

He had tried one or two other fellows first. He had sounded Coates on
the subject, but he unfortunately was engaged. He had pressed Wyndham
to come, but Wyndham was busy that evening with the library. He had
appealed to one or two other schoolhouse Limpets, but all, on hearing
that the doctor and Co. were to be present, respectfully declined.

Finally Brown dropped upon Telson, and condescendingly proposed to him
to be present as one of his two friends.

Telson thought the matter over and fancied it promised well. He liked
the sound of the jellies and the tipsy-cake, and just at present he knew
of no special reason for "funking" the doctor. As for the doctor's
ladies, Telson had never seen them, so they did not weigh particularly
with him.

"Who else is going?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know yet," said Brown, rather grandly. "I've one or two
fellows in my mind."

"Why don't you ask young Parson?" suggested Telson, innocently.

"Parson? he's not a schoolhouse kid."

"I know he's not, but he and I are very chummy, you know. I wouldn't
mind coming if he went."

"I'll see," said Brown, mightily, but secretly relieved to know of some
one likely to come as his second "friend."

"All right," said Telson. "I've not promised, mind, if he can't come."

"Oh, yes,