378 



The boys sat mute. 



" You little stupid monkeys," muttered she in an under-tone, as 

 the cold air struck upon her head. " Come in, like good boys," 

 added she, in a louder key, pointing with her finger towards the door. 



" Nor, thenk ye ! " at last drawled the elder of the boys. 



" Nor, thenk ye ! " repeated Miss Howard, imitating the drawl. 

 " Why not ? " asked she, sharply. 



The boy stared stupidly. 



" Why won't you come in ? " asked she, again addressing him. 



" Don't know," replied the boy, staring vacantly at his younger 

 brother, as he rubbed a pearl off his nose on the back of his hand. 



" Don't know ! " ejaculated Miss Howard, stamping her little foot 

 on the Turkey carpet. 



" Mar said we hadn't," said the younger boy, coming to the res- 

 cue of his brother. 



" Mar said we hadn't ! " retorted the fair interrogator. " Why 



" Don't know," replied the elder. 



" Don't know ! you little stupid animal," snapped Miss Howard, 

 the cold air increasing the warmth of her temper. " I wonder what 

 you do know. Why did your ma say you were not to come in ? " 

 continued she, addressing the younger one. 



" Because — because," hesitated he, " she said the house was full 

 of trumpets." 



" Trumpets, you little scamp ! " exclaimed the lady, reddening 

 up ; " I'll get a whip and cut your jacket into ribbons on your back." 

 And thereupon she banged down the window and closed the conver- 

 sation. 



CHAPTER LXIII. 



THE RISING GENERATION. 



The lull that prevailed in the breakfast-room on Miss Howard's re- 

 turn from the window was speedily interrupted by fresh arrivals be- 

 fore the door. The three Master Baskets in coats and lay-over collars, 

 Master Shutter in a jacket and trousers, the two Master Bulgeys in 

 woollen overalls, with very large hunting whips, Master Brick in 

 a velveteen shooting-jacket, and the two Cheeks with their tweed 

 trousers thrust into fiddle-case boots, on all sorts of ponies and family 

 horses, began pawing and disordering the gravel in front of Nonsuch 

 House. 



George Cheek was the head boy at Mr. Latherington's classical 



