"Hello, Jane, you here?" growled Cecil, drawing a long face. "We're to have no lessons to-day, mind!" "Who said so?" inquired Miss Blythe tranquilly. "Mamma said so. She said you were going to be sent away directly, and we're to go away to school. Hooray!" "I don't want to go to school," whined Percy dismally. "I want Jane." "Shut up, baby; you don't know what you're talkin' about. I don't want Jane, an' I'm glad the mater's goin' to ship her; so there! Here, you, Calkins, fetch us some hot muffins; these ain't fit to eat. And, I say, hustle some marmalade while you're about it!" Miss Blythe arose from her place. "If you can't ask civilly for your food, Cecil, you don't deserve to have anything fetched," she said rebukingly. "Cecil's a cad, anyhow," muttered Percy, staring truculently at his brother from under his light lashes. "Aw! an' you're a bally baby!" retorted Master Cecil, stuffing half a muffin into his cheek. "My, won't you catch it in school, though!" "See here, boys," said Jane seriously, "very likely I'll not see you again, for I am going away----" "You're to be _sent_, you mean," interrupted Cecil impudently. "Be quiet, sir, and pay attention to what I have to say; it's the last time I shall take the trouble. You, Percy, have the instincts of a gentleman. If you'll go on telling the truth every trip, no matter what bully threatens you, and if you'll stand for what's decent and right you'll have nothing to fear, in school or anywhere else. As for you, Cecil, you've a lot to learn, and I heartily hope the big boys will thrash your meanness and cowardliness out of you before you're entirely spoiled, and I dare say they will. Good-by." She stooped to kiss Percy warmly, and that small boy blubbered outright as he rubbed his smeary little face against the girl's smooth cheek. To Cecil she offered her hand, but withdrew it with a smile, as the grateful recipient of her counsels thrust his tongue into his cheek with a frightful grimace. "Good-by, boys," she repeated. "You'll find what I've told you is true before you've done."