"And so you are not going to play cricket?" he said dreamily, as he stood gazing wistfully in the direction taken by the waggonette. "No, thank you," I replied sadly. "I'd rather not." "Well, I'm going for a ramble in the forest. Dinner will not be ready for two hours. Will you come?" "Oh yes, sir." "Come along then, Grace, and well throw away the work for one day, and enjoy the country." I had never seen him look so bright and pleasant before. The stern, cold, distant air was gone, and his eyes were bright and eager. He seemed to unbend, and it was delightful to find him take so much interest in me as he did. "Well," he exclaimed, as we turned right into the wood by the first narrow foot-path, "and how are you getting on with the pie?" "Very slowly, sir," I said sadly. "Never mind, my boy; patience, and you will do it all; and it will not hurt you." "But it was so unjust, sir. It was Smith who upset it." "Ah! and he said it was you?" "Yes, sir; and it was a lie." "I thought as much; a young rascal! but never mind, Grace. I would rather be the lad who manfully bears an injustice like a hero, than be the big successful blackguard who escapes his punishment by a contemptible lie." "So would I, sir," I said, swallowing down something which seemed to rise in my throat as I gazed in his bright, intelligent face. "Bah! It was a pitiful bit of triumph for the young idiot; but never mind, my lad: work at it and finish it like a man, and it will be a piece of self-denial that you may be proud of to the end of your days." We walked on for some distance in silence, he evidently thoroughly enjoying the beauty of the forest as we rambled on, knee-deep in ferns and heather, and I feeling that the old days were coming back, such as I used to love when wandering with my father through one of our woods, botanising or collecting bird and insect. Almost involuntarily as Mr Hallett took off his soft felt hat to let the breeze blow on his broad white forehead, I began, as of old, to pick a specimen here and there, till, after being in a musing fit for some time, he suddenly noticed what I was doing, and became interested. "What have you got there?" he said, pointing to a plant I had just picked. "Oh, that's a twayblade," I replied, "one of the orchis family." "Indeed," he said, looking at me curiously, "and what is this?" "Oh, a very common plant--dog's mercury." "And this, Grace?" he continued, pointing to another, with its bulbous roots in the water. "Water hemlock, sir." "Why, Antony Grace, you are quite a young botanist," he said, smiling and showing his white teeth, while I gazed up at him wonderingly, he seemed so changed. "I only know a little that papa--I mean my father, taught me." "He used to take you for walks, then, my boy?" "Oh, such delicious walks, sir." "And you learned a good deal? Look! What a great toadstool! Don't handle it, my boy, some of these things are very poisonous."