"So do I--with some people," he returned in his level, pleasant voice, and lent her a hand to assist her down from the stile. "It's as well to be hung for a sheep as a lamb, don't you think? Why not enlarge on the idea? I know a shop where we can procure quite edible pasties. If you are agreeable, I could fetch provisions, and we can picnic in the woods." "But that's a capital idea," said Prudence, with a careless disregard for developments, which further evidenced the emancipation Miss Agatha already foresaw. "There'll be such a row," she said cheerfully, as they walked across the fields side by side. "It was just such another excursion that Bobby was sent back to school for." "For a little thing like that!" He laughed. "Well, they can't send me back to school anyhow, and I have a comfortable feeling in my mind that you'll be able to keep your end up. Miss Graynor would be wise to recognise that her day is done. I'll return with you and take my share of the censuring. With luck I might be asked to stay to tea." This audacity amused them both. There was gladness in the spring day, the gladness of irresponsible youth, the gladness of life in its promise with the hope of its fruition unfulfilled and undaunted. The two gay young hearts, in their mutual pleasure in one another, were in tune with the brightness of the May morning; and the two gay young voices rang out in clear enjoyment and awoke the echoes in the shady woods. CHAPTER SIX. It detracted somewhat from Prudence's enjoyment when, having lunched delightfully off viands which would have met with less favour eaten off a plate from an ordinary dining-table, having subsequently strolled about the woods, engaged in botanical and other research, it abruptly occurred to her that it was time to return home. The thought of going home was less pleasant with the prospect so imminent. Picnicking in the woods with a comparative stranger was, she felt now, a sufficiently unusual proceeding to make explanation difficult. Neither Agatha nor her father would view the matter in the light in which she saw it-- simply as a pleasant excursion breaking the monotony of dull days. The necessity to account for her absence at all annoyed her. "The drawback to stolen pleasure," she announced, regarding the young man with serious eyes in which a shade of anxiety was faintly reflected, "lies in the aftermath of nettles; while not dangerous, they sting." "By Jove! yes," he agreed. "The little matter of going back has been sitting on my mind for the last ten minutes. The thing loses its humour when no longer in the background. I'm really horribly afraid of Miss Graynor." "You need not come," said Prudence generously. "Oh! I'm not so mean a coward as to back out," he said. "It's up to me to see it through with you. After all, the excursion was at my suggestion. And it was worth being stung for by all the nettles that ever grew. Besides, I want my tea."