fixed look was returned.

There seemed to be nothing in these words of an exciting nature, and
Frank was intent upon a race between two green-headed drakes for a piece
of crust which he had jerked out to a considerable distance; but all the
same Andrew Forbes drew a deep breath, and his face flushed up. Then he
glanced sharply at Frank, and looked relieved to find how his attention
was diverted.

"Er--er--it is strange what a little news there is stirring nowadays,"
he said, huskily.

"Yes, very, is it not?" replied their new companion; "but I should have
thought that you gentlemen, living as you do in the very centre of
London life, would have had plenty to amuse you."

"Oh no," said Andrew, with a forced laugh. "Ours is a terrible humdrum
life at the Palace, so bad that Gowan there is always wanting to go out
into the country to find sport, and as he cannot and I cannot, we are
glad to come out here and feed the ducks."

"Well," said the stranger gravely, jerking out a fresh piece of biscuit,
"it is a nice, calm, and agreeable diversion. I like to come here for
the purpose on Wednesday and Friday afternoons about this time. It is
harmless, Forbes."

"Very," said the youth, with another glance at Frank; but he was
breaking a piece of crust for another throw, and another meaning look
passed between the two, Forbes seeming to question the stranger with his
eyes, and to receive for answer an almost imperceptible nod.

"Yes, I like feeding the ducks," said Selby. "One acquires a good deal
of natural history knowledge thereby, and also enjoys the pleasure of
making new and pleasant friends."

This was directed at Frank, who felt uncomfortable, and made another
bow, it being the proper thing to do, as his new acquaintance--he did
not mentally call him friend--dropped a piece of biscuit, to be seized
by a very fat duck, which had found racing a failure, and succeeded best
by coming out of the water, to snap up the fragments which dropped at
the distributors' feet.

As the piece of biscuit fell, the stranger formally and in a very French
fashion raised his cocked hat again.

"And so you find the court life dull, Mr Gowan," he said.

"Yes," said the boy, colouring. "You see, I have not long left
Winchester and my school friends. Miss the ga--sports; but Andrew
Forbes has been very friendly to me," he added heartily.

"Of course you feel dull coming among strangers; but never fear, Mr
Gowan, you will have