"He is pretty well," said his mother; "but he is apt to be late. He gets overtired between his beloved parish work and his reading with Bobus."
"He is lucky to get such a coach," said Jock. "Bob taught me more mathematics in a week than I had learnt in seven years before."
"He is terribly accurate," said Babie.
"Which Armie does not appreciate?" said Jock.
"I'm afraid not," said his mother. "They do worry each other a good deal, and this Infanta most of all, I'm afraid."
"O no, mother," said Babie. "Only it is hard for poor Armie to have two taskmasters."
"What! the Reverend Petronella continues in the ascendant?"
Bobus here entered, with a face that lightened, as did everyone's, at sight of Lucas.
"Good morning. Ah! Jock! I didn't sit up, for I had had a long day out on the moors; we kept the birds nearer home for you. There are plenty, but Grimes says he has heard shots towards River Hollow, and thinks some one must have been trespassing there."
"Have you heard anything of Elvira? apropos to River Hollow," said his mother.
"Yes," said Jock. "One of our fellows has been on a moor not far from where she was astonishing the natives, conjointly with Lady Anne Macnalty. There were bets which of three men she may be engaged to."
"Pending which," said his mother, "I suppose poor Allen will continue to hover on the wings of the Petrel?"
"And send home mournful madrigals by the ream," said Bobus. "Never was petrel so tuneful a bird!"
"For shame, Bobus; I never meant you to see them!"
"'Twas quite involuntary! I have trouble enough with my own pupil's effusions. I leave him a bit of Latin composition, and what do I find but an endless doggerel ballad on What's his name?-who hid under his father's staircase as a beggar, eating the dogs' meat, while his afflicted family were searching for him in vain;-his favourite example."
"St. Alexis," said Babie; "he was asked to versify it."
"As a wholesome incentive to filial duty and industry," said Bobus. "Does the Parsoness mean to have it sung in the school?"
"It might be less dangerous than 'the fox went out one moonshiny night,'" said their mother, anxious to turn the conversation. "Mr. Parsons brought Mr. Todd of Wrexham in to see the school just as the children were singing the final catastrophe when the old farmer 'shot the old fox right through the head.' He was so horrified that he declared the schools should never have a penny of his while they taught such murder and heresy."
"Served them right," said Jock, "for spoiling that picture of domestic felicity when 'the little ones picked the bones, oh!' How many guns shall we be, Bobus?"
"Only three. My uncle has a touch of gout, the Monk has got a tutorship, Joe has gone back to his ship, but the mighty Bob has a week's leave, and does not mean a bird to survive the change of owners."
"Doesn't Armine come?"
"Not he!" said Bobus. "Says he doesn't want to acquire the taste, and he would knock up with half a day."
"But you'll all come and bring us luncheon?" entreated Jock. "You will, mother! Now, won't you? We'll eat it on a bank like old times when we lived at the Folly, and all were jolly. I beg your pardon, Bob; I didn't mean to turn into another poetical brother on your hands, but enthusiasm was too strong for me! Come, Mother Carey, _do_!"
"Where is it to be?" she asked, smiling.
"Out by the Long Hanger would be a good place," said Bobus, "where we found the Epipactis grandiflora."
"Or the heathery knoll where poor little mother got into a scrape for singing profane songs by moonlight," laughed Jock.
"Ah! that was when hearts were light," she said; "but at any rate we'll make a holiday of it, for Jock's sake."
"Ha! what do I see?" exclaimed Jock, who was opposite the open window. "Is that Armine, or a Jack-in-the-Green?"
"Oh!" half sighed Barbara. "It's that harvest decoration!" And Armine, casting down armfuls of great ferns, and beautiful trailing plants, made his entrance through the open window, exchanging greetings, and making a semi-apology for his late appearance as he said-
"Mother, please desire Macrae to cut me the great white orchids. He won't do it unless you tell him, and I promised them for the Altar vases."
"You know, Armie, he said cutting them would be the ruin of the plant, and I don't feel justified in destroying it."
"Macrae's fancy," muttered Armine. "It is only that he hates the whole thing."
"Unhappy Macrae! I go and condole with him sometimes," said Bobus. "I don't know which are most outraged-his Freekirk or his horticultural feelings!"
"Babie," ordered Armine, who was devouring his breakfast at double speed, "if you'll put on your things, I've the garden donkey-cart ready to take down the flowers. You won't expect us to luncheon, mother?"
Barbara, though obedient, looked blank, and her mother said-
"My dear, if I went down and helped at the Church till half past twelve, could not we all be set free? Your brothers want us to bring their luncheon to them at the Hanger."
"That's right, mother," cried Jock; "I've half a mind to come and expedite matters."
"No, no, Skipjack!" cried Bobus; "I had that twenty stone of solid flesh whom I see walking up to the house to myself all yesterday, and I can't stand another day of it unmitigated!"
Entered the tall heavy figure of Rob. He reported his father as much the same and not yet up, delivered a note to his aunt, and made no objection to devouring several slices of tongue and a cup of cocoa to recruit nature after his walk; while Bobus reclaimed the reluctant Armine from cutting scarlet geraniums in the ribbon beds to show him the scene in the Greek play which he was to prepare, and Babie tried to store up all the directions, perceiving from the pupil's roving eye that she should have to be his memory.
Jock saw that the note had brought an additional line of care to his mother's brow, and therefore still more gaily and eagerly adjured her not to fail in the Long Hanger, and as the shooting party started, he turned back to wave his cap, and shout, "Sharp two!"
Two o'clock found three hungry youths and numerous dead birds on the pleasant thymy bank beneath the edge of the beach wood, but gaze as they might through the clear September air, neither mother, brother, nor sister was visible. Presently, however, the pony-carriage appeared, and in it a hamper, but driven only by the stable-boy. He said a gentleman was at the house, and Mrs. Brownlow was very sorry that she could not come, but had sent him with the luncheon.
"I shall go and see after her," said Jock; and in spite of all remonstrance, and assurance that it was only a form of Parsonic tyranny, he took a draught of ale and a handful of sandwiches, sprang into the carriage, and drove off, hardly knowing why, but with a yearning towards his mother, and a sense that all that was unexpected boded evil. Leaving the pony at the stables, and walking up to the house, he heard sounds that caused him to look in at the open library window.
On one side of the table stood his mother, on the other Dr. Demetrius Hermann, with insinuating face, but arm upraised as if in threatening.
"Scoundrel!" burst forth Jock. Both turned, and his mother's look of relief and joy met him as he sprang to her side, exclaiming, "What does this mean? How dare you?"
"No, no!" she cried breathlessly, clinging to his arm. "He did not mean-it was only a gesture!"
"I'll have no such gestures to my mother."
"Sir, the honoured lady only does me justice. I meant nothing violent. Zat is for you English military, whose veapon is zie horse- vhip."
"As you will soon feel," said Jock, "if you attempt to bully my mother. What does it mean, mother dear?"
"He made a mistake," she said, in a quick, tremulous tone, showing how much she was shaken. "He thinks me a quack doctor's widow, whose secret is matter of bargain and sale."
"Madame! I offered most honourable terms."
"Terms, indeed! I told you the affair is no empirical secret to be bought."