“But I should. Will you let me try!”

Peter shook his head, and began to examine his half-worn broom.

“I could hold on. Let me go with you next time!”

“Oh, but I go at ha’-past six, hours before you’re awake. Young gents don’t get up till eight.”

“Why, I always wake at a quarter to six,” said Dexter. “It seems the proper time to get up. I say, let me go with you.”

“Here, I say, you, Peter,” shouted Dan’l; “are you a-going to sweep that bit o’ lawn, or am I to come and do it myself. Gawsiping about!”

“Hear that?” said Peter, beginning to make his broom swing round again. “There, you’d better be off, or you’ll get me in a row.”

Dexter sighed, for he seemed to be always the cause of trouble.

“I say,” said Peter, as the boy was moving off; “going fishing again?”

“No; not now.”