Christmas Eve in a Punt. 217 



fonder of the rod than the gun. We must take our chance 

 when we can get it. Put Rory into the cart, Tom, and get 

 a few baits. We must try Turnhill Broad before it gets 

 frozen over." 



Naturally, this was not a satisfactory scheme for the young 

 folks, who were reckoning upon help in those delightful 

 preparations that give Christmas Eve so much of its charm. 

 But neither Harvey nor Thornbury, B.A., cared a great deal 

 for church decorations, nor, indeed, for the long-legged, 

 long-skirted curate, who had appointed himself commander- 

 in-chief of the bevy of fresh-coloured girls. They made 

 the best of it, quoted necessity (about the broadest- 

 shouldered victim for excuse-hunters the world ever knew), 

 and promised to return very early. 



" Do please come back before dark," Mrs. Kype en- 

 treated ; " remember it's Christmas Eve, and we never fail 

 in yule-log worship." 



" And we have three of your favourite songs which must 

 be sung to-night," said Alice the fair. 



" And you owe me a game of chess," said Lina the gipsy- 

 eyed. 



"Yes, Uncle Thornbury (the children had years before 

 appointed him "uncle"), and you promised to give me 

 twenty out of a hundred," said Tracy Kype, who actually 

 had a taste and was destined for the church, and who would 

 perhaps have satisfied even the grandfather, had that worthy 

 not been a long resident of the family vault. 



"As sweet a Christmas Eve programme as heart could 

 wish ; trust me not to fail," concluded Thornbury, in light- 

 ness of heart. 



" I'll just bring my gun," said Harvey, coming out of the 

 house with a workmanlike breech-loader in his hand ; " you 

 never know what may turn up at these times, and there's a 



