"Steady, uncle!" cried Syd. "Mind the cob, Mark. Lead him away, but come back and take Mr Simpkins's nag too." The boy turned to meet the big, burly man, who drew his vehicle up to the door and stopped to look back. "Can you help her down, youngster--my boy, I mean?" "Yes, all right, sir." "I can jump down, dad," cried the occupant of the seat. "Now, Syd, catch me; look out!" The boy's intentions were admirable, and the young lady light; but, as Mark afterwards said to Jane, with a chuckle, when he knew all, "Master Syd wasn't up to her weight." For, as the young wife alighted, she was caught, but the catcher staggered back, and would have fallen but for the lady's agility, for she not only saved herself but clung to the boy's hands, so that he only sat down on the steps. "Houp-la!" she cried, striking a little attitude. "Hullo! Hurt?" growled Simpkins. "No, he's all right, dad. Ain't you, Syd dear?" "Hurt, no," cried the boy. "But those stones are hard. Come along in." "Wait a moment, my gal," growled the trainer, and he drew his child aside. "What's the matter, dad?" "Nothing. I'm going round to see the mare put up and fed. I shall be in directly. But look here, don't you commit yourself before I come." "Who's going to?" said the girl, merrily, as she seemed to take the nocturnal excursion as a capital bit of fun. "Well, I only warn you, my gal. Mind, you're as good as they are. Don't you let 'em begin sitting upon you because you've got a fine chance." "All right, dad. I'm to be a different sort of furniture from that." "I dunno what you mean, my gal--some of your larks, I suppose. But just you mind; don't put it in these here words, but when my orty fine lady begins on you, just you say to her, ses you, `None o' that! I'm as good as you.'" "What's he saying, darling?" cried Syd, impatiently. "Not much, young gentleman; only telling her to mind now you have brought her home as she has her rights." Syd caught his young wife's hands and hurried her into the hall, and from thence into the drawing-room, where he found his uncle impatiently walking up and down. "Oh, it's you, Syd," said the baronet, impatiently. "Call Jane, there's a confounded cat in the conservatory. Just knocked down one of the pots." "All right, uncle," said the boy. "You sit down there, Molly," he whispered, "and look here, you must help me when your father comes in. He would drive over, and kept on insisting to me that he couldn't let me come alone with uncle; but it was only to show off before auntie." "Yes, I know; he's been preaching to me. Where is she?" "Sitting up for us somewhere, pet," said Syd. "Here she comes. Back me up, and be nice," he whispered, "and then make your guv'nor take you home. You know how." "Yes, Syd dear," whispered the girl; "but I'm awful tired, you know." "Pst! Oh, it's you, Jane." "Yes, sir. I'll light that lamp if you'll stand aside." "Oh, yes, do. It's beastly dark."