“Cheer up, old party,” Jim laughed. “She might be quite a decent sort for all you know. As for riding astride, Dad’ll never let you ride any other way, so you can keep your mind easy about that. Well, never mind governesses, anyhow; you haven’t got one yet, and sufficient unto the day is the governess thereof. What are we going to do to-morrow?”
“Can’t do very much,” said Norah, still showing traces of gloom. “It’s Sunday; besides, the horses want a spell, and you boys will have to pack—you leave pretty early on Monday, you know.”
“Oh, botheration!” said Wally, jumping up so suddenly that he upset his chair. “For goodness’ sake, don’t talk of going back until we actually get there; it’s bad enough then. Let’s go and explore somewhere to-morrow.”
“We can do that all right,” said Jim, glad of any turn being given to the melancholy conversation. “We’ve never taken you chaps to the falls, two miles up the creek, and they’re worth seeing.”
“It’s a nice walk, too,” added Norah, putting sorrow to flight by deftly landing a pellet of bread on Harry’s nose. “Think you can struggle so far, Harry?”
“Yes, and carry you back when you knock up,” said that gentleman, returning the missile, without success, Norah having retreated behind a vase of roses. “I think it would be a jolly good plan.”
“Right oh!” said Jim. “That’s settled. We’ll pack up in the morning, get Brownie to give us dinner early, and start in good time. It doesn’t really take long to walk there, you know, only we want to be able to loaf on the way, and when we get to the falls.”
“Rather,” said Harry. “I never see any fun in a walk when you tear somewhere, get there, and tear back again. Life’s too short. Come on, Norah, and play to us.”
So they trooped into the drawing-room, and for an hour the boys lay about on sofas and easy chairs, while Norah played softly. Finally she found that her entire audience was sound asleep, a state of things she very naturally resented by gently pouring water from a vase on their peaceful faces. Peace fled at that, and so did Norah.