(1 Tea Table Conversation

of anything he gave a piece to Timothy, who ate it daintily and purred resonant gratitude.

“ You see we’re busy waiting for you, Master,” said old Robert. “ You’re late this evening. Keep any of the youngsters in? That’s a foolish way of punishing them, as hard on yourself as on them. One teacher we had four years ago used to lock them in and go home. Then he’d go back in an hour and let them out—if they were there. They weren’t always. Tom Ferguson kicked the panels out of the old door once and got out that way. We put a new door of double plank in that they couldn’t kick out.”

“ I stayed in the schoolroom to do some wor ,” said Eric briefly.

“ Well, you’ve missed Alexander Tracy. He was here to find out if you could play checkers, and, when I told him you could, he left word for you to go up and have a game some evening soon. Don’t beat him too often, even if you can.

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