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〃No；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃Trouble may be at hand。 Help us through with
it。 Remember； these children have no uncles。〃
〃You will stay？〃 said Ethel。
He made a sign of assenthe could do no more； and just then Gertrude
came trotting back； so exceedingly smutty； as to call everybody's
attention。 Hector had been shoving Tom half…way up the chimney； in
hopes of reaching the nest； and the consequences of this amateur
chimney…sweeping had been a plentiful bespattering of all the
spectators with soot； that so greatly distressed the young ladies；
that Mary and Blanche had fled away from public view。
Dr。 Spencer's first act of possession was to threaten to pull Tom
down by the heels for disturbing his jackdaws； whereupon there was a
general acclamation； and Dr。 May began to talk of marauding times；
when the jackdaws in the Minster tower had been harried。
〃Ah！〃 said Dr。 Spencer； as Tom emerged； blacker than the outraged
jackdaws； and half choked； 〃what do you know about jackdaws' nests？
You that are no Whichcote scholars。〃
〃Don't we？〃 cried Hector； 〃when there is a jackdaw's nest in Eton
Chapel； twenty feet high。〃
〃Old Grey made that！〃 said Tom； who usually acted the part of esprit
fort to Hector's credulity。
〃Why； there is a picture of it on Jesse's book；〃 said Hector。
〃But may not we get up on the roof； to see if we can get at the nest；
papa？ 〃 said Tom。
〃You must ask Dr。 Spencer。 It is his house。〃
Dr。 Spencer did not gainsay it； and proceeded even to show the old
Whichcote spirit； by leading the assault； and promising to take care
of Aubrey； while Ethel retained Gertrude； and her father too； for Dr。
May had such a great inclination to scramble up the ladder after
them； that she； thinking it a dangerous experiment for so helpless an
arm； was obliged to assure him that it would create a sensation among
the gossiphood of Stoneborough； if their physician were seen
disporting himself on the top of the house。
〃Ah！ I'm not a physician unattached； like him；〃 said Dr。 May；
laughing。 〃Hullo！ have you got up； Tom？ There's a door up there。
I'll show you〃
〃No； don't papa。 Think of Mrs。 Ledwich； and asking her to see two
trustees up there！〃 said Ethel。
〃Ah！ Mrs。 Ledwich； what is to be done with her； Ethel？〃
〃I am sure I can't tell。 If Flora were but at home； she would manage
it。〃
〃Spencer can manage anything！〃 was the answer。 〃That was the
happiest chance imaginable that you came home with me； and so we came
to go by the same train。〃
Ethel was only afraid that time was being cruelly wasted； but the
best men； and it is emphatically the best that generally are sohave
the boy strong enough on one side or other of their natures； to be a
great provocation to womankind； and Dr。 Spencer did not rest from his
pursuit till the brood of the jackdaws had been discovered； and two
gray…headed nestlings kidnapped； which were destined to a wicker cage
and education。 Little Aubrey was beyond measure proud； and was
suggesting all sorts of outrageous classical names for them； till
politely told by Tom that he would make them as great prigs as
himself； and that their names should be nothing but Jack and Jill。
〃There's nothing for it but for Aubrey to go to school；〃 cried Tom；
sententiously turning round to Ethel。
〃Ay； to Stoneborough；〃 said Dr。 Spencer。
Tom coloured； as if sorry for his movement； and hastened away to make
himself sufficiently clean to go in quest of a prison for his
captives。
Dr。 Spencer began to bethink him of the paper that he had been so
eagerly drawing up； and looking at his own begrimed hands； asked
Ethel whether she would have him for a trustee。
〃Will the other eight ladies？〃 said Ethel； 〃that's the point。〃
〃Ha； Spencer！ you did not know what you were undertaking。 Do you
wish to be let off？〃 said Dr。 May。
〃Not I；〃 said the undaunted doctor。 〃Come； Ethel； let us hear what
should be done。〃
〃There's no time；〃 said Ethel； bewildered。 〃The court will be only
on the day after to…morrow。〃
〃Ample time！〃 said Dr。 Spencer； who seemed ready to throw himself
into it with all his might。 〃What we have to do is this。 The ladies
to be propitiated are〃
〃Nine Muses； to whom you will have to act Apollo；〃 said Dr。 May； who；
having put his friend into the situation； had a mischievous delight
in laughing at him； and watching what he would do。
〃One and two； Ethel； and Mrs。 Rivers！〃
〃Rather eight and nine；〃 said Ethel； 〃though Flora may be somebody
now。〃
〃Seven then；〃 said Dr。 Spencer。 〃Well then； Ethel； suppose we set
out on our travels this afternoon。 Visit these ladies； get them to
call a meeting to…morrow； and sanction their three trustees。〃
〃You little know what a work it is to call a meeting； or how many
notes Miss Rich sends out before one can be accomplished。〃
〃Faint heartyou know the proverb； Ethel。 Allons。 I'll call on
Mrs。 Ledwich〃
〃Stay；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃Let Ethel do that； and ask her to tea； and we
will show her your drawing of the school。〃
So the remaining ladies were dividedEthel was to visit Miss
Anderson； Miss Boulder； and Mrs。 Ledwich； Dr。 Spencer； the rest； and
a meeting； if possible； be appointed for the next day。
Ethel did as she was told； though rather against the grain； and her
short； abrupt manner was excused the more readily； that Dr。 Spencer
had been a subject of much mysterious speculation in Stoneborough；
and to gain any intelligence respecting him； was a great object； so
that she was extremely welcome wherever she called。
Mrs。 Ledwich promised to come to tea； and instantly prepared to walk
to Miss Rich； and authorise her to send out the notes of summons to
the morrow's meeting。 Ethel offered to walk with her； and found Mrs。
and Miss Rich in a flutter； after Dr。 Spencer's call； the daughter
just going to put on her bonnet and consult Mrs。 Ledwich； and both
extremely enchanted with Dr。 Spencer； who 〃would be such an
acquisition。〃
The hour was fixed and the notes sent out； and Ethel met Dr。 Spencer
at the garden gate。
〃Well！〃 he said； smiling； 〃I think we have fixed them offhave not
we？〃
〃Yes； but is it not heartless that everything should be done through
so much nonsense？〃
〃Did you ever hear why the spire of Ulm Cathedral was never
finished？〃 said Dr。 Spencer。
〃No； why not？〃
〃Because the citizens would accept no help from their neighbours。〃
〃I am glad enough of help when it comes in the right way； and from
good motives。〃
〃There are more good motives in the world than you give people credit
for； Ethel。 You have a good father； good sense； and a good
education； and you have some perception of the system by which things
like this should be done。 Unfortunately； the system is in bad hands
here； and these good ladies have been left to work for themselves；
and it is no wonder that there is plenty of little self…importance；
nonsense； and the like； among them； but for their own sakes we should
rather show them the way； than throw them overboard。〃
〃If they will be shown；〃 said Ethel。
〃I can't say they seemed to me so very formidable；〃 said Dr。 Spencer。
〃Gentle little women。〃
〃Oh！ it is only Mrs。 Ledwich that stirs them up。