"I see a great deal of the servants now," said Geoff--then he corrected himself with a look of sudden recollection--"that is, I am afraid I disobey mamma, Mrs. Warrender. I am rather fond of the servants, they are more amusing than other people. I go to the stables often when I know I oughtn't. To know you oughtn't, and yet to do it, is very bad, don't you think?" "I am afraid it is, Geoff. Don't you have any lessons now?" "They say this is holiday time," said the boy. "Of course I am glad of the holidays, but it is a little stupid too, not having any one to play with--but I may come out a great deal more than I used to. And that is a great advantage, isn't it? I read too, chiefly stories; but a whole day is a very long time, don't you think so? I did not say where I was coming this afternoon, in case the pony might get tired, or Black turn cross, or something, but it appears Black likes to come to Highcombe, he has friends here." The boy had come close to Mrs. Warrender's work-table, and was lifting up and putting down again the reels of silk, the thimbles and scissors. He went on with his occupation for some time very gravely, his back turned to the light. At length he said, "I want you to tell me one thing. They say Warrender is coming to live at our house." "I am afraid it is true, Geoff." "Don't you like it, then?" said the boy. "I thought if you did not like it you would not let it be." "My dear, my son Theo is a man. I cannot tell him what he must do as your mother does to you. And if I do not like it, it is because he has a good house of his own." "Ah, the Warren!" said Geoff: then he added, pulling all the reels about in the work-table, and without raising his eyes to her face, "If he is coming, I wish he would come, Mrs. Warrender, then perhaps I should go to school. Don't you think school is a good thing for a boy?" "Everybody says so, Geoff." "Yes, I know--it is in all the books. Mrs. Warrender, if--Warrender is coming to live with us, will you be a sort of grandmother to me?" This startled her very much. She looked at the odd child with a sensation almost of alarm. "Because," he continued, "I never had one, and I could come and talk to you when things were bad." "I hope you will never have any experience of things being bad, Geoff." He gave a glance at her face, his hands still busy among the threads and needles. "Oh no, never, perhaps--but, Mrs. Warrender, if--Warrender is coming to Markland to live, _I_ wish he would do it now, directly. Then it would be settled what was going to be done with me--and--and other things." Geoff's face twitched more than ever, and she understood that the reason why he did not look at her was because his little eyelids were swollen with involuntary tears. "There are a lot of things--that perhaps would get--settled then," he said. "Geoff," she said, putting her arm round him, "I am afraid you don't like it any more than I do, my poor boy."