differed from Robert Oliver, who was all for geography. Their friends knew
of these tastes, of course, and so Hester's presents were nearly always
history books or portraits of great men, such as Napoleon and Shakespeare,
both of whom she almost worshipped, while Robert's were compasses and maps.
He also had a mapmeasurer (from Mr. Lenox), and at the moment at which this
story opens, his birthday being just over, he was the possessor of a
pedometer, which he carried fastened to his leg, under his knickerbockers,
so that it was certain to register every time he took a step. He kept a
careful record of the distance he had walked since his birthday, and could
tell you at any time what it was, if you gave him a minute or two to crawl
under the table and undo his clothes. He could be heard grunting in dark
places all day long, having been forbidden by Janet to undress in public.

Robert's birthday was on June 20, Hester's on November 8, and Janet's on
February 28. She had the narrowest escape, you see, of getting birthdays
only once in every four years; which is one of the worst things that can
happen to a human being. Gregory Bruce was a little less lucky, for his
birthday was on December 20, which is so near to Christmas Day that mean
persons have been known to make one gift do for both events. None the less,
Gregory's possessions were very numerous; for he had many friends, and most
of them were careful to keep these two great anniversaries apart.

Gregory's particular passion just now was the names of engines, of which he
had one of the finest collections in Europe; but a model aeroplane which
Mr. Scott had given him was beginning to turn his thoughts towards the
conquest of the air, and whereas he used to tell people that he meant to be
an engine driver when he grew up, he was now adding, "or a man like Wilbur
Wright."

Most children have wanted to fly ever since "Peter Pan" began, and, as I