"Willingly, so long as you don't scald yourself," said Miss Maitland, smiling.
"And here is Father," cried Maud. "Bootles, Mother has been telling us the dreadful story of how Mignon was lost."
"Has she, sweetheart? Well, we don't want to go through that particular experience any more, do we, darling?"
"No! once was once too often," said Mrs. Ferrers, slipping her hand into his.
"Two lumps of sugar," said Pearl, bringing her father his cup.
"And muffins!" added Maud.
Boy's Love
PART I
It was towards the close of the afternoon of a warm June day that a short, sturdy, fair-haired boy, wearing a dark blue uniform with a touch of scarlet here and there about it, sat down at a long desk to write a letter. It was headed, "Duke of York's School, Chelsea, S.W.," and began, "My dear Mother."
When he had got thus far, the boy paused, leaned his elbow upon the desk, and rested his head upon his hand. And then after a minute the hand slipped downward, and rubbed something out of his eyes--something hard to get rid of, apparently--for presently one bright drop after another forced its way through his fingers and fell on to the desk beneath.