oon about his exercises. She took out her work, and sat down
at some distance from the boys; but they did not get on. It was very
awkward. At last, the boys' eyes met, and they saw that they should like
to talk freely, if they could.

"Agnes," said Hugh, "cannot you go somewhere, and leave us alone?"

"I hardly know where I can go," replied Agnes. "I must not disturb aunt;
and there is no fire anywhere else."

"O, I am sure aunt wont mind, for this one afternoon. You can be as
still as a mouse; and she can doze away, as if nobody was there."

"I can be as still as a mouse here," observed Agnes. "I can take my work
to that farthest window; and if you whisper, I shall not hear a word you
say. Or, if I do hear a word, I will tell you directly. And you will let
me come, now and then, and warm myself, if I find I cannot hold my
needle any longer."

"No, no; that wont do. We can't talk so. Do just go, and see whether
aunt cannot let you be there for this one afternoon."

Agnes did not like to refuse anything to Hugh: but she hesitated to take
such a bold step as this. In his eagerness, Hugh requested the same
favour of Tooke; but Tooke, more anxious than even Agnes to oblige, had
not courage for such an errand. Hugh snatched his crutches, and declared
he would go himself. But now Agnes gave way. She gathered up her work,
and left the room. Hugh little imagined where she went, this cold,
darkening December afternoon. She went to her own room, put on her
cloak, and walked up and down till tea was ready, without fire or
candle, and not very happy in her mind.

Meanwhile the boys basked before a glowing fire. Tooke began directly to
open his full heart.

"Was that true that your sister said at dinner, about your always
longing so to come to Crofton?"

"Yes."

"How sorry you must be that you came! How you must wish you had never
seen me!"

"I knew there would be things to bear, whenever I came; and
particularly while I was the youngest. Your father told me that: and one
of the things that made me want to come more than ever was his telling
me how you bore things when you were the youngest--being set on the top
of that wall, and so on."

"Indeed, indeed, I never meant to hurt you when I pulled your foot.--I
suppose you are quite sure that it was I that gave the first pull? Are
you?"

"Why, yes; I am sure of that; and so are you: but I know very well that
you meant no harm; and that is the reason I would not tell. A