wants to; but when it comes to
instructing you--"

"Oh, well, he's young," Dr. Lavendar
soothed him; "you can't expect
him not to know everything at his age."

"He's a squirt," said William. In
those days in Old Chester middle age
was apt to sum up its opinion of youth
in this expressive word.

"We were all squirts once," said Dr.
Lavendar, "and very nice boys we were,
too--at least I was. Yes, I hope the
youngster will see what a sweet creature
old Roberts's Philippa is."

She was a sweet creature; but as
William King said, she was amusingly
old-fashioned. The Old Chester girl of
those days, who seems (to look back
upon her in these days) so medieval,
was modern compared to Philippa! But
there was nothing mystical about her;
she was just modest and full of pleasant
silences and soft gaieties and simple,
startling truth-telling. At first,
when they came to live near Perryville,
she used, when the weather was fine, to