bit of use."

"Yes; but you and I have got to be polite to her, Philly. We mustn't
forget that."

"Oh, I'll be polite enough, if she will just leave us alone," retorted
Phil.

Promising!




CHAPTER VII.

MAKING ACQUAINTANCE.


Phil was better than his word. He was never uncivil to Mrs. Watson, and
his distant manners, which really signified distaste, were set down by
that lady to boyish shyness.

"They often are like that when they are young," she told Clover; "but they
get bravely over it after a while. He'll outgrow it, dear, and you mustn't
let it worry you a bit."

Meanwhile, Mrs. Watson's own flow of conversation was so ample that there
was never any danger of awkward silences when she was present, which was a
comfort. She had taken Clover into high favor now, and Clover deserved
it,--for though she protected herself against encroachments, and