Perplexities, 65

 

told, and he felt a little vexed at the idea of
his brother having a secret with Ned Rice,
away from him. So he wisely said no more
about it.

The afternoon and evening went by quietly,
and much as usual, though it seemed strange
to see Mrs. Hardy working in their aunt’s
place, and Stephen had not spirits to take
down the Picture Bible, now that Mrs. Baynes
was not there to explain it to him.

‘How I wish aunt would come back!” he
said next morning, and Johnnie said—

“ All in good time.”

But this morning it was easier to attend
to the lessons; and when he had read his
“a-b, ab; e-b, eb,” &c., with infinite pains,
he found that Mr. Willis was behind him
listening too.

“Very good, Wright,” said the master,
patting his head. “You have made a very
great progress in three weeks.”

Was it possible those words were said to
him, the dunce of the school ?

Stephen’s cheeks glowed, his eyes sparkled;
he had never been so proud and pleased in his
life.

Now he would really take courage to attend
the Sunday school again, as his aunt wished.

E