“It’s a dying world, child, and it don’t much matter where the pain is, for sooner or later we all drop off and are seen no more,” was Aunt Myra’s cheerful reply.

“Well, I intend to know what kills me if I can, and meantime, I’m going to enjoy myself in spite of a dying world. I wish you’d do so too, and come and study with uncle, it would do you good, I’m sure,” and Rose went back to counting vertebræ with such a happy face, that Aunt Myra had not the heart to say a word to dampen her ardour.

“Perhaps it’s as well to let her do what she likes the little while she is with us. But pray be careful of her, Alec, and not allow her to overwork,” she whispered as she went out.

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do, ma’am, and rather a hard job I find it,” he added, as he shut the door, for the dear aunts were dreadfully in his way sometimes.

Half an hour later came another interruption in the shape of Mac, who announced his arrival by the brief but elegant remark—

“Hullo! what new game is this?”

Rose explained, Mac gave a long whistle of surprise, and then took a promenade round the skeleton, observing gravely—

“Brother Bones looks very jolly, but I can’t say much for his beauty.”

“You mustn’t make fun of him, for he’s a good old fellow, and you’d be just as ugly if your flesh was off,” said Rose, defending her new friend with warmth.

“I dare say, so I’ll keep my flesh on, thank you. You are so busy you can’t read to a fellow, I suppose?” asked Mac, whose eyes were better, but still too weak for books.

“Don’t you want to come and join my class? Uncle explains it all to us, and you can take a look at the plates as they come along. We’ll give up bones today and have eyes instead; that will be more interesting to you,” added Rose, seeing no ardent thirst for physiological information in his face.

“Rose, we must not fly about from one thing to another in this way,” began Dr. Alec, but she whispered quickly, with a nod towards Mac, whose goggles were turned wistfully in the direction of the forbidden books—

“He’s blue to-day, and we must amuse him; give a little lecture on eyes, and it will do him good. No matter about me, uncle.”

“Very well; the class will please be seated,” and the Doctor gave a sounding rap on the table.

“Come, sit by me, dear, then we can both see the pictures; and if your head gets tired you can lie down,” said Rose, generously opening her little college to a brother, and kindly providing for the weaknesses that all humanity is subject to.

Side by side they sat and listened to a very simple explanation of the mechanism of the eye, finding it as wonderful as a fairy tale, for fine plates illustrated it, and a very willing teacher did his best to make the lesson pleasant.

“Jove! if I’d known what mischief I was doing to that mighty delicate machine of mine, you wouldn’t have caught me reading by firelight, or studying with a glare of sunshine on my book,” said Mac, peering solemnly at a magnified eye-ball; then, pushing it away, he added indignantly, “Why isn’t a fellow taught all about his works, and how to manage ’em, and not left to go blundering into all sorts of worries? Telling him after he’s down isn’t much use, for then he’s found it out himself and won’t thank you.”