"There was plenty of business to be transacted," observed Vibert; "I fancy that there always is when landed property changes hands. My father asked for a week's holiday from office-work. Perhaps he will give up his appointment altogether; all depends on whether he decide to live on his own estate, or to let it and take a new lease of Summer Villa." "You must have had letters from your father; to which decision does he appear to incline?" asked the captain, addressing himself to his niece. "Papa has been very busy, and wrote but briefly," said Emmie. "I believe that a good deal will depend on whether papa is satisfied with what he sees of a gentleman at S----, who has been highly recommended as a private tutor for my brothers. S---- is but three miles from Myst Court, so that if we lived at that place, Vibert and Bruce could go over to Mr. Blair's for study every week-day." "My father's plan, now that Bruce and I have left Cheltenham," interrupted Vibert, "is to keep us with him at home for a year or two, and have us prepared for Cambridge or some competitive examination by a private tutor, either in London, or at S----, if we go into Wiltshire." "What description does Bruce give of Myst Court?" inquired Captain Arrows. "Bruce is a lazy dog with his pen, and seldom honours me with a scratch of it," answered Vibert. "Bruce wrote to me the day after he went into Wiltshire," said Emmie. "He knew that I should be interested to hear of the place which may soon be our home. Bruce writes that the house is of the date of the reign of Queen Anne; that it is built of red brick, and looks rather formal, but has splendid trees around it. Myst Court stands quite by itself, with no other country-house near it, and has the reputation of being _haunted_." Arrows smiled at the gravity with which the young lady pronounced the last word. "Myst Court must be a horridly dull place, at least for those who are not sportsmen!" cried Vibert. "Bruce and I may find a little liveliness at S----; but for you, Emmie, it will be a case of-- 'And still she cried, "'Tis very dreary-- 'Tis dreary and sad," she said; She said, "I am aweary, aweary; I wish I were dead!"'" Emmie laughed, but the laugh was rather a forced one. "Your sister will never, I hope, echo the peevish complaint of an idle girl, who had not energy enough to nail up her peaches," observed Captain Arrows. "If Emmie go to Wiltshire, it will be, I trust, to lead there an active, useful, and happy life." "I wonder on what course papa will decide," said Emmie; "we are very anxious to know. A great deal will depend on what Bruce thinks desirable,--papa has such an opinion of the judgment of Bruce." "Bruce has a precious good opinion of his own," said Vibert, with something like scorn. "For shame!--how can you!" cried Emmie, in a tone of playful reproof.