"Bless the dear old place. Why, Dick, that's where I saw my little Fin looking so disdainfully at me, coming round the sharp turn there; and, look here, that's my old perch, where I've had many a jolly pipe." He caught his friend suddenly by the arm, in a strangely-excited fashion, and turned him round, as he pointed to the grey, lichen-covered monolith of granite. "Dick, old man, I could smoke a pipe there now, and sit and whistle like a bird. I say, Dick, how comical a fellow would look up there in his wig and gown, and--thank goodness!" He said those last two words to himself with a sigh of relief, as, turning round, there, timed to a moment by his vile machinations and those of Fin, the sisters came, basket and fern trowel in hand, from amongst the trees, just as if time had been standing still, and no troubles had intervened. To two of the party the surprise was complete. Richard stopped short, rigid and firm; while Tiny, as soon as her eyes rested upon him, turned pale, her basket fell to the ground, and uttering a faint cry of pain, she pressed her hand to her side and tottered back. Conventional feelings, rigid determination, everything went down before nature then. With one bound Richard was at Tiny's side, and the next moment, with a cry of joy, the poor girl's arms were round his neck, and she was sobbing on his breast. The probabilities are that had the insane behaviour of Frank Pratt been seen, he would have lost caste at the bar; for, dashing down his hat and an expensive meerschaum, which was shivered to atoms on the granite path, he executed a wild breakdown, brought his foot to the earth with a flop, and then rushed at Fin; but only to be disappointed, for she was clinging to and sobbing over Dick--that is, as far up as she could reach, crying-- "Oh, you dear, good darling, Dick--pray, pray don't go on breaking her poor heart any more." "I say," said Pratt, reproachfully, as Richard bent down and kissed the little maid, "what have I done? Ain't I nobody?" "Oh, go away now," cried Fin, "There, you may have one, if nobody's looking. Now, that will do;" and, after suffering a kiss, she returned it with a push. "Time's up, Dick, come. You shall see her again," said Pratt, looking ruefully at his meerschaum scraps, as he dusted his hat. Then followed a little whispering with Pin, and he caught his friend's arm, as his fellow-conspirator led her sister away. "This is madness," groaned Richard, as he yielded to his friend's touch, and they walked rapidly away. "Oh, Franky, you contrived this." "To be sure I did," said Pratt, grinning; "and you shall have another dose to cure you both, if you are good. But, quick; now, then, look a man. Here we are."