logarithms； and brought them to Mr。 Ernescliffe； staying to look at
his drawing； and asking what he was making out。 He replied； smiling
at the impossibility of her understanding； but she wrinkled her brown
forehead； hooked her long nose； and spent the next hour in amateur
navigation。
Market Stoneborough was a fine old town。 The Minster； grand with the
architecture of the time of Henry III。； stood beside a broad river；
and round it were the buildings of a convent； made by a certain good
Bishop Whichcote； the nucleus of a grammar school； which had survived
the Reformation； and trained up many good scholars； among them； one
of England's princely merchants； Nicholas Randall； whose effigy knelt
in a niche in the chancel wall； scarlet…cloaked； white…ruffed； and
black doubletted； a desk bearing an open Bible before him； and a
twisted pillar of Derbyshire spar on each side。 He was the founder
of thirteen almshouses； and had endowed two scholarships at Oxford；
the object of ambition of the Stoneborough boys； every eighteen
months。
There were about sixty or seventy boarders； and the town boys slept
at home； and spent their weekly holiday there on Saturdaythe
happiest day in the week to the May family； when alone； they had the
company at dinner of Norman and Harry； otherwise known by their
school names of June and July； given them because their elder brother
had begun the series of months as May。
Some two hundred years back； a Dr。 Thomas May had been headmaster；
but ever since that time there had always been an M。 D。； not a D。 D。；
in the family； owning a comfortable demesne of spacious garden； and
field enough for two cows； still green and intact； among modern
buildings and improvements。
The present Dr。 May stood very high in his profession； and might soon
have made a large fortune in London； had he not held fast to his home
attachments。 He was extremely skilful and clever； with a boyish
character that seemed as if it could never grow older； ardent；
sensitive； and heedless； with a quickness of sympathy and tenderness
of heart that was increased； rather than blunted； by exercise in
scenes of suffering。
At the end of the previous summer holidays； Dr。 May had been called
one morning to attend a gentleman who had been taken very ill； at the
Swan Inn。
He was received by a little boy of ten years old； in much grief；
explaining that his brother had come two days ago from London； to
bring him to school here； he had seemed unwell ever since they met；
and last night had become much worse。 And extremely ill the doctor
found him； a youth of two or three and twenty； suffering under a
severe attack of fever； oppressed； and scarcely conscious； so as
quite to justify his little brother's apprehensions。 He advised the
boy to write to his family； but was answered by a look that went to
his heart〃Alan〃 was all he had in the worldfather and mother were
dead； and their relations lived in Scotland； and were hardly known to
them。
〃Where have you been living； then？〃
〃Alan sent me to school at Miss Lawler's when my mother died； and
there I have been ever since； while he has been these three years and
a half on the African station。〃
〃What； is he in the navy？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the boy proudly； 〃Lieutenant Ernescliffe。 He got his
promotion last week。 My father was in the battle of Trafalgar； and
Alan has been three years in the West Indies； and then he was in the
Mediterranean； and now on the coast of Africa； in the Atalantis。 You
must have heard about him； for it was in the newspaper； how； when he
was mate； he had the command of the Santa Isabel； the slaver they
captured。〃
The boy would have gone on for ever； if Dr。 May had not recalled him
to his brother's present condition； and proceeded to take every
measure for the welfare and comfort of the forlorn pair。 He learned
from other sources that the Ernescliffes were well connected。 The
father had been a distinguished officer； but had been ill able to
provide for his sons； indeed； he died； without ever having seen
little Hector； who was born during his absence on a voyagehis last；
and Alan's first。 Alan； the elder by thirteen years； had been like a
father to the little boy； showing judgment and self…denial that
marked him of a high cast of character。 He had distinguished himself
in encounters with slave ships； and in command of a prize that he had
had to conduct to Sierra Leone； he had shown great coolness and
seamanship； in several perilous conjunctures； such as a sudden storm；
and an encounter with another slaver； when his Portuguese prisoners
became mutinous； and nothing but his steadiness and intrepidity had
saved the lives of himself and his few English companions。 He was；
in fact； as Dr。 May reported； pretty much of a hero。 He had not； at
the time； felt the effects of the climate； but； owing to sickness and
death among the other officers； he had suffered much fatigue and
pressure of mind and body。 Immediately on his return； had followed
his examination； and though he had passed with great credit； and it
had been at once followed by well…earned promotion； his nervous
excitable frame had been overtasked； and the consequence was a long
and severe illness。
The Swan Inn was not forty yards from Dr。 May's back gate； and； at
every spare moment； he was doing the part of nurse as well as doctor；
professionally obliged to Alan Ernescliffe for bringing him a curious
exotic specimen of fever； and requiting him by the utmost care and
attention； while； for their own sakes； he delighted in the two boys
with all the enthusiasm of his warm heart。 Before the first week was
at an end； they had learned to look on the doctor as one of the
kindest friends it had been their lot to meet with； and Alan knew
that if he died； he should leave his little brother in the hands of
one who would comfort him as a father。
No sooner was young Ernescliffe able to sit up； than Dr。 May insisted
on conveying him to his own house； as his recovery was likely to be
tedious in solitude at the Swan。 It was not till he had been drawn
in a chair along the sloping garden； and placed on the sofa to rest；
that he discovered that the time the good doctor had chosen for
bringing a helpless convalescent to his house； was two days after an
eleventh child had been added to his family。
Mrs。 May was too sorry for the solitary youth； and too sympathising
with her husband； to make any objection； though she was not fond of
strangers； and had some anxieties。 She had the utmost dependence on
Margaret's discretion； but there was a chance of awkward situations；
which papa was not likely to see or guard against。 However； all
seemed to do very well； and no one ever came into her room without
some degree of rapture about Mr。 Ernescliffe。 The doctor reiterated
praises of his excellence； his principle； his ability and talent； his
amusing talk； the girls were always bringing reports of his
perfections； Norman retracted his grumbling at having his evenings
spoiled； and 〃the boys〃 were bursting with the secret that he was
teaching them to rig a little ship that was to astonish mamma on her
first coming downstairs； and to be named after the baby； while
Blanche did all the coquetry with him； from which Margaret abstained。
The universal desire was for mamma to see him； and when the time
came； she owned that papa's swan had not turned out a goose。
There were now no grounds for prolonging his stay； but it was very
hard to go； and he was glad to avail himself of the excuse of
remaining for the christening； when he was to represent the absent
godfather。 After that； he must go； he had written to his Scottish
cousins to offer a visit； and he had a promise that he should soon be
afloat again。 No place would ever seem to him so like home as Market
Stoneborough。 He was quite like one of themselves； and took a full
share in the discussions on the baby's name； which； as all the old
family appellations had been used up； was an open question。 The
doctor protested against Alice and Edith； which he said were the
universal names in the present day。 The boys hissed every attempt of
their sisters at a romantic name； and then Harry wanted it to be
Atalantis！ At last Dr。 May announced that he should have her named
Dowsabel if they did not agree； and Mrs。 May advised all the parties
concerned to write their choice on a slip of paper； and little Aubrey
should draw two out of her bag； trusting that Atalantis Dowsabel
would not come out； as Harry confidently predicted。
However； it was even worse； Aubrey's two lots were Gertrude and
Margaret。 Ethel and Mary made a vehement uproar to discover who
could have written Margaret； and at last traced it home to Mr。
Ernescliffe； who replied that Flora； without saying why； had desired
him to set down his favourite name。 He was much disconcerted； and
did not materially mend the matter by saying it was the first name
that came into his head。
CHAPTER II。
Meadows trim with daisies pied。MILTON。
Ethel's navigation lesson was interrupted by the dinner…bell。 That
long table was a goodly sight。 Few ever looked happier than Dr。 and
Mrs。 May； as they sat opposite to each o