Bywvater's Dance



535



clothes !" he exclaimed. " How thin and white you
are ! "
  The remarks did not please Judith. "Thin and
white !" she resentfully repeated. " Did you expect
him to come home as red and fat as a turkey-cock,
and him just brought to the edge of the grave with
brain fever One would think, Master Arthur, that
you 'd rejoice to see him if he had come back a
skeleton, with his bones rattling when it seemed too
likely you'd never see him at all. And what if he
have outgrowed his clothes They can be let out, or
replaced with new ones. I have hands, and there's
tailors in the place, I hope."
  The more delighted felt Judith, the more ready was
she to take up remarks and convert them into uncalled-
for grievances. Arthur knew her, and only laughed.
A day of rejoicing, indeed, as the bishop had said.
A day of praise to God. Charley had been whispering
to his mother. He wanted to go to the college school-
room and surprise it. He was longing for a sight of
his old companions. That happy moment had been
pictured in his thoughts fifty times, as he lay in the
boat; it was almost as much desired as the return
home. Charley bore no malice, and he was prepared
to laugh with them at the ghost.
  " You do not appear strong enough to walk even so
far as that," said Mrs. Channing.
  "Dear mamma, let me go! I could walk it, for
that, if it were twice as far."
  "Yes, let him go," interposed Arthur, divining the
feeling. " I will help him along."
  Charley's trencher-the very trencher found on the
banks-was brought forth, and he started with Arthur.
    Mind you bring him back safe this time !" called
out Judy in a tone of command, as she stood at the
door to watch them along the Boundaries.
  " Arthur," said the boy, " were they punished for
playing me that ghost trick"
  "They have not been punished yet; they are to be.
The master waited to see how things would turn out."
  You may remember that Diggs, the boat-house
keeper, when he took news of Charles's supposed fate
to the college school, entered it just in time to inter-
rupt an important ceremony, which was about to be