"Anything will be a novelty to me," declared Mayne.
"I can lend you Fletcher's rifle, till your own comes up; in fact, he said you were to use his battery and——"
"But, father," interrupted the girl, "you have forgotten that this is tennis day! The Hicks, the Ffinches, and the 'Corner' boys, are coming."
"Oh, by Jove, yes! but you will be all right without us. You can tackle more than that, my little Nance." Aside to Mayne, "She manages everyone."
"Now you are thinking of Mrs. Ffinch," protested Nancy, "what excuse could I offer? You know Captain Calvert is still at 'Clouds Rest,' and with the Hicks, Andrew Meach, and the Pollards, she said we ought to make up three sets."
"To-day or to-morrow is all one to me," was Mayne's generous announcement,—for he was secretly longing to be off within the hour.
"Oh, well, Mr.—or is it Captain—Mayne?" He nodded. "I will try and arrange the tennis somehow, and let father carry you off to draw the 'Bandy' sholah."
The immediate result of such magnanimous permission, was an animated dispute; each party clamouring to yield to the other; finally it was decided, that the sportsmen were to remain at home.
"It will give you an opportunity of meeting some of our neighbours," said Travers; then turning to his daughter, "Nancy child, five minutes ago, I asked you to go in out of the sun."
"Yes, dear, but you know very well that my hair is as thick as a roof thatch, and my skull is bomb-proof."