"Ah, but you should never forget a promise, my boy," the doctor told him gravely, "even if it seems only a trifling matter. I do not know that you could have come to any great harm among the rocks; but you must be more cautious for the future, or I know your aunt will be always fussing when you are out of her sight, and it ought to be unnecessary to keep a watch on a boy of your age. You are old enough to take care of yourself."
"I'm afraid I'm always rather inclined to anticipate misfortune," Miss Warren acknowledged with a sigh. "I well remember how anxious I used to be about your dear mother, Dick, when she was a little girl. Dear me, how vexed I was this morning to meet Sir Richard!"
"Ah, I saw him later on," Dr. Warren said. "He told me of Dick's sad plight, which seems to have caused him some amusement, by the way. I learnt from him that Mrs. Compton and her children are expected to-morrow evening; he is desirous that Dick should see as much of his cousins as possible. I said I was sure Dick would be glad of the company of children of his own age."
"Oh, yes," cried Dick eagerly; "that is, if I like them! I wonder if I shall," he added reflectively.
"I do not doubt you will; but you will soon find that out. I daresay your cousins are as anxious and curious to meet you as you are to meet them. Sir Richard said he should expect to see you at the Manor House the day after to-morrow, and I promised to drop you at the lodge as I did the last time you were there."
"I wish you would tell me more about my aunt and cousins, Uncle Theophilus," Dick requested; "I want to know what they are really like, and—"
"You will be able to form your own opinion of them shortly," the doctor interposed; "I am not good at descriptions of people."
With that answer the little boy had to be satisfied; for Miss Warren knew even less of the Comptons than did her brother. She had seen them in church on Sundays during previous summers, but had never spoken to either mother or children. Dick was more and more surprised to find how little intercourse there had been between the Manor House and No. 8 Fore Street. It puzzled him greatly, and worried him too; but Aunt Mary Ann looked so unhappy when he spoke to her about it that he let the subject drop, and determined never to mention it to her again. He had grown much attached to dear, fussy Aunt Mary Ann, and would not willingly have troubled her for the world.