"Yon are quite right.... But come, make haste with your breakfast ... let us leave the ladies to give an inquiring glance to the decorations of the ball-room, and let you and I walk down to the walnut-trees, and see how they are getting on with the tents and the tables, and all the rest of it." "I shall be ready in a minute, sir; but I have been scampering round the whole park already this morning, and I am as hungry as a hound. Give me one more egg, Helen, and then...." "It is really a comfort to see what a fine appetite he has!--is it not, Helen?" said Rosalind, surrounding his plate with rolls of all sorts and sizes. "I will call you '_Wild Irish Girl_' in the very midst of the ball this evening if you do not behave better," said young Mowbray. "And if you do, I will...." "Come along, Charles," said his father; "her threats may put you out of heart for the whole day." "And might not we too take a walk before any of the people arrive?" said Fanny. "I have heard the cuckoo this morning for the first time. He was certainly thanking God for the sunshine; and I really think we ought to go out, and then we shall do so too." "A most delightful proposal!" cried Rosalind; "and if the birds should happen to introduce a jig movement, we can practise our dancing steps as we go along." "Wait half an hour for me," said Charles, rising to accompany his father, "and I will join your party. Let us go to the Pebble-Ford, Rosalind; and you shall all three drink my health out of that dear pool beside it, that Ros.... Miss Torrington--admired so much the other day." "No, no, we can't wait a moment, Char.... Mr. Mowbray--" said Rosalind. "Come, dear girls, let us be gone instantly." "Not wait for him on his birthday!" cried Helen. "But you are not in earnest, Rosalind?" "How you do labour and toil to spoil that man, Helen!" said Miss Torrington, raising her hands and eyes as he left the room. "It is a great blessing for him that I have come amongst you! If any thing can save him from utter destruction, it is I shall do it."