"Good-bye," said Ralph. "And Father will give you money: I'll see he do." Thus Ralph returned after his great adventure and Harriet and he went together, side by side, into Mrs Burton's private sitting-room. There Harriet told all. "I don't want the pony," she said in conclusion; "and I'm not a bit fit to be a school-mother! But I love him all the same." "I must punish you, Harriet," said Mrs Burton. "I should not do my duty else. For the remainder of the term, Robina will be Ralph's school-mother; but you shall see him every day, and it remains with Ralph himself to decide whether he loves you in future or not." "Oh, don't I love her just this very instant-minute," said Ralph: and he flung his arms round Harriet's neck. Thus Harriet found out what real love meant. She found it out in her pain, the pain she had suffered during that lonely night--she found it out also in her joy--the joy that had come to her when she saw Ralph again. The pony and the habit and the side-saddle did not matter a bit to Harriet now, for she had more--the true heart of Ralph himself. Love can destroy jealousy and all bad things in the heart. So it was with Harriet, even though Robina became the little boy's school-mother, and even though she won the big prize. Harriet was happy. Book 2--CHAPTER ONE. A DELIGHTFUL PROPOSAL. When Ralph Durrant's father came for him on the day of the great break-up at the school, he found a little boy who said with emphasis that he had several school-mothers, and that he did not wish to say good-bye to any of them. This state of things rather puzzled Mr Durrant, whose one desire in life was to make Ralph intensely happy. "How am I to manage such a lot of mothers, little man?" he said. "You must, Father," replied Ralph. "There is my naughty school-mother-- her name is Harriet. She is both naughty and good, and I love her like anything. And there is my beautiful, good school-mother--Robina; and I want not to say good-bye to either of them. I s'pose," continued Ralph, "that Robina must have the pony; only I wish there were two ponies--" But here Mrs Burton interfered. "Ralph," she said, "I have something to say to your father. Run away for a short time and play with Curly Pate, my dear." Ralph, who had been excellently trained by Robina, ran immediately out of the room. Mr Durrant turned and faced Mrs Burton.