"It waggles there," Jim said, as, Dora having seated herself by her brother, Frank started on the Danube, "and now it goes straight on. Steady, man--you’re making it run over a mountain. Now, waggle it a bit more. That’s prime." Frank enjoyed the lesson hugely, and presently Dora drew a river--the Rhine--and won much partial praise from Mr Mortimer. After that Jim took Frank through his French verbs, Dora flagrantly prompting her brother, and from this they proceeded to English History, Jim giving Frank a racy description of James the Second’s flight, and the causes leading up to it, which somehow stuck in Frank’s head to such effect that on the following day he was awarded eighty marks out of a possible hundred, and greatly astonished his form-master by displaying such unusual evidences of industrious preparation. It was a happy evening--Jim never remembered spending a happier--and Mortimer went to his work next day with a light heart and a most tender recollection of Dora drawing the course of a river very incorrectly. But such happy evenings as this had been do not often occur in anybody’s life--it is their unexpectedness which gives them the charm which lingers in one’s memory. Jim helped Frank on several occasions after that, but Dora did not join them. She was out, Frank supposed, with Mr Jefferson. Such announcements filled Jim with forebodings which were to be realised only too speedily. One evening, when Jim had been established in his new surgery about three weeks, Koko looked in. "Hullo, Koko!" "Hullo, Jim!" Koko sat down and glanced about him. "Business improving, Jim?" "Things are looking better, thanks, old man." "And as to No. 9?" "Cold generally; variable breezes," was Jim’s weather report. "He doesn’t know yet," thought Koko. Then he added: "I met Miss Cook to-day." "Oh, how is she?" said Jim, carelessly, as he went on making up medicine. "He ought to know," thought Koko, adding aloud: "She’s all right. Gave me a bit of information--about Dora." Jim stared round at his friend with a blank look on his face. "Eh?" "She took a fortnight to make up her mind. She accepted him yesterday, and was wearing his ring to-day." "Jefferson?" Koko nodded a grave affirmative. *CHAPTER XV.* *KOKO IS THANKED.* Dora often looked at her engagement ring. It was a beautiful ring, and had cost Mr Jefferson thirty pounds. Dora did not know this, but she knew it was a very expensive and valuable ring, and she was very proud of it. She often looked at it--she was for ever holding up her left hand and admiring this lovely, shining, diamond ring--this ring which glittered in dark places and flashed and twinkled even when her hand was quite still.