"You've worked at your sums well, Rose," he said, whereat Hugh coloured with pleasure.
Reg was by no means gratified to see the three big R's scribbled across Hugh's arithmetic, and he puzzled his brains to think in what way he could annoy the cousin of whom he was so bitterly jealous.
"I say, old chap," said one of his classmates, when school was over, "tell us the secret of your getting those beastly sums right."
Reg standing by heard Hugh's laughing reply.
"You all thought yesterday it was because old Deans found that book in my desk, but you made a mistake," he said triumphantly; "it's our old swing in the garden that helps me. I sit there and think and think and the thing is done."
Light words were they and lightly spoken, but little did Hugh reck what would be the consequences of his speech.
Elsie felt very lonely while her brothers were at school, for Gwennie Rose, whom she would gladly have had for a companion, was busy with her governess all the morning, and in the afternoon when Mrs. Rose was not too much occupied with other matters, Elsie had her own little tasks to do.
Strange to say, between Elsie and her Aunt Mary a warm friendship gradually came about.
One morning it chanced that Elsie threw her ball accidentally into the next garden, and upon her asking in sweet childish fashion if she might come in and look for it, she won the heart of the stately-looking lady who heard her making her request to Rachel, Gwennie's nurse.
"Let her come in, Rachel," said Mrs. Wilfrid, and forthwith Elsie, who all her life had been accustomed to being petted, came fearlessly into the room where her aunt was sitting.