“Yes, I suppose Dudley would have done it,” and Roy’s tone was a little sad; “but you see I wanted to help.  As he was saying to me this morning, he will have many more chances than I when he gets bigger and goes out to India to do good to people.  I shall have to stop at home now, for I shall never be able to ride, he will have all the big opportunities, and I must be content with the little ones.”

“You talk like a little old grandfather, sometimes,” said Miss Bertram, laughing, as she sat down beside him.  “You must make the most of David while he is with you, for I have heard from his stepfather this morning, and he wishes him sent to school at once.”

Roy’s eyes opened wide.

“But I shall go too, shan’t I, Aunt Judy?”

“I am afraid not just yet.  You are not fit to rough it; besides we couldn’t lose both our boys!”

“But I must go if Dudley goes, I must!” and Roy’s tone was passionate now.  “I won’t have him go away from me—­I’ve lost Rob, and that is bad enough—­You wouldn’t take Dudley away from me, too, Aunt Judy!”

“Hush, hush, we will not talk any more about it now.  He will not go till after Easter, and that won’t be here yet.”

Miss Bertram was sorry she had broached the subject, when she saw Roy’s distress, and going downstairs sent Dudley up to play with him.

Later on when she was sitting with her mother in the drawing-room a small head appeared.  “May I come in, granny?”

It was Dudley, and his round and rosy face was unusually solemn.  Marching in he took up his position on the hearth-rug, his back to the fire, and with his hands deep in his pockets, he turned his face rather defiantly toward his grandmother.

“Granny, I’m not going to school without Roy.”

“Hoighty-toity!  What next, I wonder.  Is that the way for little boys to speak to their elders.  You will do what you are told as long as you are in my house, as your father did before you.”

“It is your stepfather’s wish,” put in Miss Bertram; “you ought to be willing to obey him.”

“Not if he tells me to do something wrong.  And I’m sure it would be quite a wrong thing for me to go away from Roy.  We have promised never to leave each other till we grow up, and we don’t mean to break our promise.  And, granny, I’m sure you don’t like broken promises.  Father doesn’t know about Roy, and he can’t understand like I do, and it would be very wrong of him if he took me away from Roy!”

Mrs. Bertram put on her glasses and inspected her little grandson with searching eyes.

“That is a most disrespectful speech, Dudley.  I shall of course uphold your father’s wishes.”

“But, granny, I can’t leave Roy.  It will break his heart.  You don’t know how he frets about his leg.  He doesn’t say much and is always so cheerful, but he misses me most awfully even if I’m away for a day.  If he was well and strong, he could get on first-rate, but he wouldn’t get about half so much if I didn’t take him.  I think he would mope and mope all by himself.  And I don’t think we could live without each other.  You won’t send me away, will you?”