Girls, he said, "an extraordinary thing has happened I wish to announce it before I proceed to the little business which forms the subject of this meeting. Robina Starling, by her own express wish, has withdrawn from the contest between herself and Harriet Lane and the rest of you. She declines to become my little son's school-mother, and she wants to go home at once, and she will go in about half an hour. She would, in fact, have left the house before now, but there was no convenient train. As, by her own express intention, she is not present on this occasion, and as she has already said good-bye to me and does not wish to see anything of you, and as I have made all arrangements with regard to a proper escort to convey her safely to her home, we can dismiss Robina from our minds." "But we can't," said Ralph, turning very white and facing his father and looking at him with his brown eyes full of intense sorrow. "But we can, and must, my boy," said the man. "There are times in life, and the sooner you learn the lesson the better, Ralph,--when we can and must do most disagreeable things. It is, I am sure, painful to you to give Robina up. I do not profess to understand her. I liked her well, but she has gone out of our lives: we must therefore proceed to the business in hand. Ralph! tears? Are those manly?" "I will be a man-like boy," said Ralph. He shook his little head and turned away from the gaze of the rest of the school-mothers, and then all of a sudden a sob, just like the one which he was strangling in his own throat, was heard distinctly to proceed from someone else. He turned abruptly, and there was Jane Bush, crying very hard. It could not be wrong even for a man-like boy to comfort someone in distress. So without waiting for his father's permission, he flew to Jane and put his arms round her neck and kissed her many times, and said: "Don't, don't be unhappy! I will love you if you will try not to be unhappy!" Now there was something exceedingly like Bobbie in the way Ralph kissed Jane, and Jane, to relieve her feelings, gave one sob louder than the rest and turned quickly to Patience Chetwold and said: "I will do everything you wish." Mr Durrant was greatly amazed at this little scene, and Harriet, who was standing alone--for not one of the others wished to have anything to do with her--was a good deal puzzled and disturbed, and made up her mind to give it very soundly to Jane later on for her ridiculous conduct. Mr Durrant paused for a minute at the unexpected interruption caused by Ralph. Then he said, still in that cold, stern voice: