"Miss Stirling has enough to do with the young men," he answered.
"I fancy you will find her very willing to take another."
"Where there are so many pupils, the instruction can not be thorough," he objected.
"Have you ever heard of the favorite pupil, sir?" she asked, with a sly smile. "Indeed, I am very much of the opinion she would even drop all the others, if you applied."
"You flatter me!" he remarked.
"Do I?" she asked, "well, I am not so sure; you see, she does not know you quite so well as some others do. And, if you are clever, she may never find you out."
"Lucky me!—You advise me, then, to take lessons from Miss Stirling?"
"Undoubtedly! You are ripe for it, and she is a rare instructor—it will be an admirable arrangement."
"And when I have learned everything that she can teach me, may I come back to you for the completion of my education?" he asked.