"Not exactly ill, but he had a fall, and he mustn't walk about or stand much. It's dull for him, as at home he was used to companions. His mother asked me to send him one of my best boys--a boy who could read well for one thing--as a playmate. At first I thought of Tony Ferris, and I spoke of him. But Tony has begged me to choose you instead of him." Gratian raised his brown eyes and fixed them on the master's face. "Does Tony not want to go?" he asked. "I shouldn't like to take it from him if he wants to go." "I think he would be happier for you to go," said the master, "and perhaps you may be more suitable. Besides Tony thinks that he owes you something. He has told me of the trick he played you, as you know--and certainly you deserve to be chosen more than he. I am not sure that he would care much about it; but still it will give him pleasure to think he has got it for you, and we may let him have this pleasure." "Yes, sir," said Gratian thoughtfully. And then he added, "it was good of Tony to ask for it for me." "Yes, it was," agreed the master. "Then when am I to go?" asked Gratian. "This afternoon. I will let you off an hour or so earlier, and you can stay at the Big House till it is dark. It is no farther home from there than from here, if you go by the road at the back of it. We shall see how you get on, and then the lady will tell you about going again." Gratian still lingered. "What is it?" said the master. "Do you not think you shall like it?" "Oh no, sir, oh no," exclaimed the child. "I was only wondering. Are there pictures at the Big House, do you think, sir?" "Yes, I think there are some. Are you fond of pictures?" "I don't know, sir. I've never seen any real ones. But I've often thought about them, and fancied them in my mind. There are such lots of things I'd like to see pictures of that I can't see any other way." "Well, perhaps you will see some at the Big House," said the master with a smile. Out in the playground Gratian ran against Tony. "Has he told you?" he asked eagerly. "Yes," said Gratian. "I'm to go this afternoon. It was very good of you, Tony, to want me to go instead of you." Tony got rather red. "I don't know that I'd a-cared about it much, Gratian," he said. "It wasn't that as cost me much. But to tell you the truth, I did want to get out of telling the master about the trick I'd played you. And I don't know as I'd have told it, but a mighty queer thing happened--it's thanks to that I told." "What was it?" asked Gratian.