Miss Duncombe was a lady of limited intellect, and exceedingly young for her age; and everybody was at liberty to laugh at her. They talked on about her for some time, while Humphrey listened with all his might, and then Sir Everard took his leave. "I'm better now," said Humphrey, as they rode along. "What! were you not feeling well?" said Sir Everard, alarmed. "Oh, yes; but I mean about my secret. What makes me feel better is, that I've told it to that lady--Mrs. Colville's sister." "I don't believe you will ever keep that secret for ten days more. Do you know my birthday is not till Monday week?" "Oh dear! oh dear! I thought it was much sooner than that. Let's be quick and talk of something else!" "What shall we talk about? I am expecting two gentlemen down from London to-night, to spend Sunday; and I'm going to meet them at the station, as soon as I have taken you home to your tea. Will that do?" "Yes, that will do. Are they nice gentlemen?" "Yes, I think them so: but then tastes differ. Perhaps you won't." "Old or young?" "Well! one is a good deal older than me and----" "White hair, then _of course_?" put in Humphrey. "Greyish, perhaps; and the other is about the age of your uncle Charlie." "Will he tell us such nice stories about kangaroos and boar-hunting?" "I should think probably not. The other one is more likely to tell you stories, as he has had little boys of his own." "Miles and I know of a pond where the branch of a tree hangs over, just like the one in Uncle Charlie's story; and we are going to crawl along it some day, and look down at our faces in the water, like the man did." "Now, Humphrey," said Sir Everard, "I won't have it done. The branch is quite rotten, and may break off any minute." Humphrey looked very mournful. "Are you quite sure, father?" "Quite sure; and I forbid you to do it. Do you hear?" "Very well, father," with a sigh; "we won't crawl along, if you don't like it; but you won't mind our going to look at it? We've been prevented so many times, and we do so want to go there! If we _promise_ not to climb, you won't say we're not to go, _will_ you?" "Yes--once for all, I say you are not to go near the pond; and I trust to you, Humphrey, to obey me. Promise." "It's a _great_ pity, father!" "Never mind. I won't have Miles led into any more mischief." Humphrey promised rather reluctantly adding to himself: "It's not much use making _me_ promise anything, because I'm _sure_ to forget." They rode on in silence for some time after this; and when Humphrey next spoke, it was on quite a different subject. "I didn't know till to-day, father, that you didn't like Aunt Cecilia!" "What _do_ you mean, Humphrey?" said Sir Everard, horrified. "You spoke as if you didn't much like her, to Mrs. Colville's sister." "Why, what did I say?" said Sir Everard, hastily casting back his thoughts to the conversation. "Well, you seemed to laugh at her a good deal."