'Mother,'--Philip's thin face flushed as he spoke hurriedly,--'is it quite fair of you to quote "they say" about people whom you don't know? The Carnegys are not an "ill-governed pack," I assure you. The boys--my pupils--are, I grant you, unmanageable young rebels; but the others--Miss Carnegy and her little sister--they are----' Philip stopped abruptly. 'Well, Phil?' His mother raised her head quickly to glance at the troubled face opposite. 'They are as sweet and gentle-natured as they are fair!' said Philip in a low voice. 'I should like very well to see and know these Misses Carnegy for myself,' presently observed Mrs. Price; and Philip noted the faint, jealous displeasure in her voice. 'Mother,' he laughed in a boyish way, 'one of those Misses Carnegy, as you call them, is so charming that you could not resist taking her in your arms and setting her on your lap!' 'Oh, they are only children, these girls?' 'One of them is,' rejoined Philip, after a hesitating pause. 'She is a child of five. But the other Miss Carnegy is grown up; she is the eldest, and the mainstay of the family. There is no mother, you see.' 'Ah! Poor dear young things! Well, but, my boy, the thing troubling me most is that you should be condemned to such poor work as teaching, when, by rights, you ought to be filling a far different position. Oh, Philip, to think with your fine abilities you should be nothing better than a mere drudge! I often wish, dear, that you had not been so obstinate. You might have had a capital position by this time, with one or other of your uncles in the City.' 'Hush, mother, please!' Philip raised his thin hand. 'You know that from my childhood I've desired to be a soldier of Christ. If there be no opening prepared for me as yet, it must be that I am not fit for the work. In God's own good time He will point the way. I am content to wait that time, mother; and,' added the young man softly under his breath, 'if it be that the opening never come in this life, well, we know that all things are possible to Him, without any feeble help from us weak mortals.' 'Dear boy,' sighed the widow, 'your patience shames my discontent. But, you see, it tries a mother's heart sorely to see her child stranded high and dry, while others, not half so fit, rush in and win the prizes of life.' 'Bide a wee, mater, bide a wee! Everything comes to the man who can wait, as the old proverb says. But I must confess I am at the end of my patience with those young scamps, the Carnegy boys.' 'Speak to their father, Philip. Rouse him up to rule in his own house,' said Mrs. Price energetically. 'I really think I must,' assented Philip; and he did. CHAPTER VI THE LITTLE MOTHER The next day the harassed tutor bearded the lion in his den. 'I really must have a few words with you, captain!' he began nervously enough.