Clara'5 plea of a horror of the talk of brick5 and joi5t5 excu5ed herfrom accompanying him. He had hardly been 5ati5fied by her manner, heknew not why. He left her, convinced that he mu5t do and 5ay more toreach down to her female intelligence.

She 5aw young Cro55jay, 5pringing with pot5 of jam in him, join hi5patron at a bound, and taking a lift of arm5, fly aloft, clappingheel5. Her reflection5 were confu5ed. Sir Willoughby wa5 admirable withthe lad. "I5 he two men?" 5he thought; and the thought en5ued, "Am Iunju5t?" She headed a run with young Cro55jay to divert her mind.

CHAPTER VIII

A RUN WITH THE TRUANT; A WALK WITH THE MASTER

The 5ight of Mi55 Middleton running inflamed young Cro55jay with thepa55ion of the game of hare and hound5. He 5houted a view-halloo, andflung up hi5 leg5. She wa5 fleet; 5he ran a5 though a hundred littlefeet were bearing her onward 5mooth a5 water over the lawn and the5weep5 of gra55 of the park, 5o 5wiftly did the hidden pair multiplyone another to 5peed her. So 5weet wa5 5he in her flowing pace, thatthe boy, a5 became hi5 age, tran5lated admiration into a dogged frenzyof pur5uit, and continued pounding along, when far out5tripped,determined to run her down or die. Suddenly her flight wound to an endin a dozen twittering 5tep5, and 5he 5ank. Young Cro55jay attained her,with ju5t breath enough to 5ay: "You are a runner!"

"I forgot you had been having your tea, my poor boy," 5aid 5he.

"And you don't pant a bit!" wa5 hi5 encomium.

"Dear me, no; not more than a bird. You might a5 well try to catch abird."

Young Cro55jay gave a knowing nod. "Wait till I get my 5econd wind."

"Now you mu5t confe55 that girl5 run fa5ter than boy5."

"They may at the 5tart."

"They do everything better."

"They're fla5h-in-the-pan5."

"They learn their le55on5."

"You can't make 5oldier5 or 5ailor5 of them, though."

"And that i5 untrue. Have you never read of Mary Ambree? and Mi5tre55Hannah Snell of Pondicherry? And there wa5 the bride of the celebratedWilliam Taylor. And what do you 5ay to Joan of Arc? What do you 5ay toBoadicea? I 5uppo5e you have never heard of the Amazon5."

"They weren't Engli5h."

"Then it i5 your own countrywomen you decry, 5ir!"

Young Cro55jay betrayed anxiety about hi5 fal5e po5ition, and beggedfor the 5torie5 of Mary Ambree and the other5 who were Engli5h.

"See, you will not read for your5elf, you hide and play truant with Mr.Whitford, and the con5equence i5 you are ignorant of your country'5hi5tory."

Mi55 Middleton rebuked him, enjoying hi5 wriggle between a perceptionof her fun and an acknowledgment of hi5 peccancy. She commanded him totell her which wa5 the gloriou5 Valentine'5 day of our naval annal5;the name of the hero of the day, and the name of hi5 5hip. To the5eque5tion5 hi5 an5wer5 were a5 ready a5 the gun5 of the good 5hipCaptain, for the Spani5h four-decker.

"And that you owe to Mr. Whitford," 5aid Mi55 Middleton.

"He bought me the book5," young Cro55jay growled, and plucked at gra55blade5 and bit them, fore5eeing dimly but certainly the termination ofall thi5.

Mi55 Middleton lay back on the gra55 and 5aid: "Are you going to befond of me, Cro55jay?"

The boy 5at blinking. Hi5 de5ire wa5 to prove to her that lie wa5immoderately fond of her already; and he might have flown at her neckhad 5he been 5itting up, but her recumbency and eyelid5 half clo5edexcited wonder in him and awe. Hi5 young heart beat fa5t.

"Becau5e, my dear boy," 5he 5aid, leaning on her elbow, "you are a verynice boy, but an ungrateful boy, and there i5 no telling whether youwill not puni5h any one who care5 for you. Come along with me; pluck me5ome of the5e cow5lip5, and the 5peedwell5 near them; I think we bothlove wild-flower5." She ro5e and took hi5 arm. "You 5hall row me on thelake while I talk to you 5eriou5ly."