"Look you here, Spencer, I have a much better plan. Do you know that scrap of a house of mine, by the back gate, just big enough for you and your pipe? Set up your staff there. Ethel will never get her school built without you."

"Oh! that would be capital!" cried Ethel.

"It would be the best speculation for me. You would pay rent, and the last old woman never did," continued Dr. May. "A garden the length of this one--"

"But I say--I want to be near the British Museum."

"Take a season-ticket, and run up once a week."

"I shall teach your boys to smoke!"

"I'll see to that!"

"You have given Cocksmoor one lift," said Ethel, "and it will never go on without you."

"It is such a nice house!" added the children, in chorus; "it would be such fun to have you there."

"Daisy will never be able to spare her other doctor," said Margaret, smiling.

"Run to Mrs. Adams, Tom, and get the key," said Dr. May.

There was a putting on of hats and bonnets, and the whole party walked down the garden to inspect the house--a matter of curiosity to some--for it was where the old lady had resided on whom Harry had played so many tricks, and the subject of many myths hatched between him and George Larkins.

It was an odd, little narrow slip of a house, four stories, of two rooms all the way up, each with a large window, with a marked white eyebrow.

Dr. May eagerly pointed out all the conveniences, parlour, museum, smoking den, while Dr. Spencer listened, and answered doubtfully; and the children's clamorous anxiety seemed to render him the more silent.

Hector Ernescliffe discovered a jackdaw's nest in the chimney, whereupon the whole train rushed off to investigate, leaving the two doctors and Ethel standing together in the empty parlour, Dr. May pressing, Dr.

Spencer raising desultory objections; but so evidently against his own wishes, that Ethel said, "Now, indeed, you must not disappoint us all."

"No," said Dr. May, "it is a settled thing."

"No, no, thanks, thanks to you all, but it cannot be. Let me go;" and he spoke with emotion. "You are very kind, but it is not to be thought of."

"Why not?" said Dr. May. "Spencer, stay with me;" and he spoke with a pleading, almost dependent air. "Why should you go?"

"It is of no use to talk about it. You are very kind, but it will not do to encumber you with a lone man, growing old."

"We have been young together," said Dr. May.

"And you must not leave papa," added Ethel.

"No," said Dr. May. "Trouble may be at hand. Help us through with it.

Remember, these children have no uncles."

"You will stay?" said Ethel.

He made a sign of assent--he could do no more, and just then Gertrude came trotting back, so exceedingly smutty, as to call everybody's attention. Hector had been shoving Tom half-way up the chimney, in hopes of reaching the nest; and the consequences of this amateur chimney-sweeping had been a plentiful bespattering of all the spectators with soot, that so greatly distressed the young ladies, that Mary and Blanche had fled away from public view.

Dr. Spencer's first act of possession was to threaten to pull Tom down by the heels for disturbing his jackdaws, whereupon there was a general acclamation; and Dr. May began to talk of marauding times, when the jackdaws in the Minster tower had been harried.

"Ah!" said Dr. Spencer, as Tom emerged, blacker than the outraged jackdaws, and half choked, "what do you know about jackdaws' nests? You that are no Whichcote scholars."

"Don't we?" cried Hector, "when there is a jackdaw's nest in Eton Chapel, twenty feet high."

"Old Grey made that!" said Tom, who usually acted the part of esprit fort to Hector's credulity.

"Why, there is a picture of it on Jesse's book," said Hector.

"But may not we get up on the roof, to see if we can get at the nest, papa?" said Tom.

"You must ask Dr. Spencer. It is his house."

Dr. Spencer did not gainsay it, and proceeded even to show the old Whichcote spirit, by leading the assault, and promising to take care of Aubrey, while Ethel retained Gertrude, and her father too; for Dr. May had such a great inclination to scramble up the ladder after them, that she, thinking it a dangerous experiment for so helpless an arm, was obliged to assure him that it would create a sensation among the gossiphood of Stoneborough, if their physician were seen disporting himself on the top of the house.

"Ah! I'm not a physician unattached, like him," said Dr. May, laughing.

"Hullo! have you got up, Tom? There's a door up there. I'll show you--"

"No, don't papa. Think of Mrs. Ledwich; and asking her to see two trustees up there!" said Ethel.

"Ah! Mrs. Ledwich; what is to be done with her, Ethel?"

"I am sure I can't tell. If Flora were but at home, she would manage it."

"Spencer can manage anything!" was the answer. "That was the happiest chance imaginable that you came home with me, and so we came to go by the same train."

Ethel was only afraid that time was being cruelly wasted; but the best men, and it is emphatically the best that generally are so--have the boy strong enough on one side or other of their natures, to be a great provocation to womankind; and Dr. Spencer did not rest from his pursuit till the brood of the jackdaws had been discovered, and two gray-headed nestlings kidnapped, which were destined to a wicker cage and education.

Little Aubrey was beyond measure proud, and was suggesting all sorts of outrageous classical names for them, till politely told by Tom that he would make them as great prigs as himself, and that their names should be nothing but Jack and Jill.

"There's nothing for it but for Aubrey to go to school," cried Tom, sententiously turning round to Ethel.

"Ay, to Stoneborough," said Dr. Spencer.

Tom coloured, as if sorry for his movement, and hastened away to make himself sufficiently clean to go in quest of a prison for his captives.

Dr. Spencer began to bethink him of the paper that he had been so eagerly drawing up, and looking at his own begrimed hands, asked Ethel whether she would have him for a trustee.

"Will the other eight ladies?" said Ethel, "that's the point."

"Ha, Spencer! you did not know what you were undertaking. Do you wish to be let off?" said Dr. May.

"Not I," said the undaunted doctor. "Come, Ethel, let us hear what should be done."

"There's no time," said Ethel, bewildered. "The court will be only on the day after to-morrow."

"Ample time!" said Dr. Spencer, who seemed ready to throw himself into it with all his might. "What we have to do is this. The ladies to be propitiated are--"

"Nine Muses, to whom you will have to act Apollo," said Dr. May, who, having put his friend into the situation, had a mischievous delight in laughing at him, and watching what he would do.

"One and two, Ethel, and Mrs. Rivers!"