“TO-MORROW, Bertie, to-morrow!” whispered Phil, in a sort of ecstatic excitement. “Keep it dark; and be ready at nine sharp. Do you think you could get David to come too without the Squire’s knowing it?” “No; but if I ask him to let him come with me, I know he will say yes. Of course I shall tell him where I am going,—I always do.” Phil whistled a little. “Do you though? I hadn’t bargained for that; but you won’t say anything about the young gulls.” “No, that isn’t my secret; I promised not to tell; but I shall have to ask leave to go to the Rocky Bay to-morrow. I know he’ll let me, and he’ll let David come too if I ask, and then I can drive in my little cart and bring something to eat, and you can go in the boat or on your ponies, as you like best.” “Oh, we shall ride,” answered Phil. “The other fellows would guess there was something up if we wanted the boat out; and, besides, we could not pull it all that way alone. If you have your cart it will be jolly. We can take everything back in it, young birds and all. Oh, yes; we’ll have a rare good day! You’re sure the Squire will let you go?” “Oh, yes; he is very kind. He always likes me to ask him for things.” So Bertie made his proposition very boldly that night, and received a ready assent. Mrs. Pritchard was pleased to supply the party with lunch, and, as David was going, she felt no anxiety as to the safety of her pet. David was a good, steady lad, and could be trusted to look after Master Bertie as carefully as his own mother. The Squire came out to see the boy drive away. He lifted him into the varnished cart, and as he gave him the reins he said,— “A nice day to you my boy. Take care of yourself; but don’t go climbing about the rocks after sea-gulls’ eggs, or you’ll be getting into danger.” The pony had started before his words were all spoken, so that he could not see the sudden cloud that fell upon Bertie’s face. The little boy drove through the park with a keen sense of disappointment weighing upon him. What had put it into the Squire’s head to utter that prohibition just at the last? Did he really mean what he said, or was it only spoken in jest? Bertie had half a mind to turn back and plead for a reversal of the verdict; but he resisted the temptation, and drove on in silence. He was afraid, for one thing, of betraying the secret entrusted to him by his companions; and, for another, he had not lived for a year beneath the Squire’s roof without learning that, however kind and considerate he might be, his will was law to all about him, and that he never gave an order, however trifling, without some good reason, and always expected that order to be strictly carried out.