And touching her pony with the whip, she bounded over the intervening sward, to the great admiration of the Squire, who loved to have her the companion of his morning ride whenever he could presume to interrupt the duties of the schoolroom. Not choosing to tear up the turf with the heavier hoofs of his horse, he trotted round towards the spot where Evelyn sat laughing at the object so unrecognisable at the greater distance.
"Ha! I see you were right, Evelyn; yes, it is a calf." And the Squire laughed merrily at the discovery.
The object was no other than Guy on his back, shading his eyes with his cap, and studying the soft white clouds that sailed across the blue sky.
"Yes, of course it's a calf, Evelyn; let him finish his dream; but ho! Young sir, you had better remember that you were not born to the herd-life of Nebuchadnezzar, and there is such a thing as rheumatism in these parts, which are not exempt from 'all the ills that flesh is heir to.' Come along, Evelyn."
"Poor lad," he continued as they rode away, "if he is going to dream away his life like that, I don't know what he will be fit for. I'm glad he's no son of mine."
Now Miss Evelyn was not pleased with the tone of such remarks, and wishing to impress her father with more respect for Guy's capacity, she resolved to tell him of the great scheme which lighted up the dreamer's future, and which would prove that he had at least an object in life, though how it was to be furthered by lying about on the grass she did not exactly see. So drawing close to her father's side, and looking eagerly up at him,—
"But, father," she began, "you will never guess what a wonderful thing Guy means to do—that is, if you let him, though I don't think you will."
"I'm sure I shall never guess at anything very wonderful in him, so you will have to tell me, little woman; and pray don't imagine that I should have the heart to hinder him."
"Well, father, it is this. Turn your head this way, that I may see how astonished you will be. He says he is going to earn money enough to buy back the Moat House from you. There now!"
The Squire certainly was surprised, and burst into a loud fit of laughter as the most appropriate expression of it.