"Well," said Sidney, "the surest way to make them care for each other is to keep them apart now. Don't try it, dear Mrs. Cressiers." Mrs. de Cressiers looked unconvinced; but she kept her own counsel after that, and never mentioned the subject again. And Jockie and Austin continued to chaff each other, and were a great deal more together than either Mrs. de Cressiers or Sidney imagined. CHAPTER XVII STRUCK DOWN "AUNT MONNIE, do take me with you." Monica was driving off in her high dogcart one afternoon in May. She was going over to see a neighbouring farmer, who lived nine miles off, about some business matter. Chuckles, in his holland overall, came tearing across the garden. For a moment Monica hesitated. In after years, she often wondered if it had been her good angel who tried to intervene. Then, seeing the eager expectancy in the child's eyes, she told him to climb up. For a moment she thought of telling him to put on an overcoat, but the sun was bright, and she had a warm plaid over her knees, so she drove off with him, saying dryly: "I hope we shall not meet anyone, for a more smutty nephew I think no one could possess!" "It's the waterbutt; I'm sailing my walnuts in it. They're the Channel fleet on an island of water." "There's no such thing as an island of water." "Isn't there? What is it when the land comes round the water?" "The water is then a lake." Chuckles tipped his hat back on his head and thought hard. Then his mind took another turn. "Aunt Monnie, I feel I was born a sailor." "You were born to be a farmer," said Monica firmly. "You were born on a farm abroad. Your father brought you home and meant to farm himself, and bring you up to it. He was taken from you, and I am bringing you up in the way he wished." "I think father is very happy to be an angel instead. I'd rather be an angel than a farmer." "Why don't you like farming? You never used to talk like this?" Chuckles considered. "I always did like water better than earth," he said solemnly. "I remembers when I was a baby I liked it. And everybody ought to fight for their country—Miss Jockie says so—and farmers don't fight. Aunt Monnie, if you promise you'll change me from a farmer into a sailor, I'll bring you back a red and green parrot the first day I come back from sea!" "No," said Monica, trying to speak lightly; "I can't be bribed, Chuckles. You must grow up a good man, and carry out your father's wishes."