Q: Chapter 2: An Important Decision.

One day in June, 1567, Gaspard Vaillant and his wife went up to Fletcher's farm.

"I have come up to have a serious talk with you, John, about Philip. You see, in a few months he will be sixteen. He is already taller than I am. Rene and Gustave both tell me that they have taught him all they know with sword and dagger; and both have been stout men-at-arms in their time, and assure me that the lad could hold his own against any young French noble of his own age, and against not a few men. It is time that we came to some conclusion about his future."

[Illustration: Gaspard Vaillant makes a proposal.]

"I have thought of it much, Gaspard. Lying here so helpless, my thoughts do naturally turn to him. The boy has grown almost beyond my power of understanding. Sometimes, when I hear him laughing and jesting with the men, or with some of his school friends whom he brings up here, it seems to me that I see myself again in him; and that he is a merry young fellow, full of life and fun, and able to hold his own at singlestick, or to foot it round the maypole with any lad in Kent of his age. Then again, when he is talking with his mother, or giving directions in her name to the French labourers, I see a different lad, altogether: grave and quiet, with a gentle, courteous way, fit for a young noble ten years his senior. I don't know but that between us, Gaspard, we have made a mess of it; and that it might have been better for him to have grown up altogether as I was, with no thought or care save the management of his farm, with a liking for sport and fun, when such came in his way."

Answer the following questions:
1. What is the Chapter name?
2. Who went to Fletcher's Farm?
3. When?
4. Why they go there?
5. About what?
6. Who's that?
7. How old is he?
8. Is he tall?
9. Is he happy?
10. Does the father have any regrets?
A: 1. An Important Decision
2. Gaspard Vaillant and his wife
3. One day in June, 1567
4. To have a serious talk
5. About Philip
6. unknown
7. Almost sixteen
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. Yes
Q: CHAPTER XIV.

HENRY III., OF WINCHESTER. A.D. 1216--1272.

King John left two little sons, Henry and Richard, nine and seven years old, and all the English barons felt that they would rather have Henry as their king than the French Louis, whom they had only called in because John was such a wretch. So when little Henry had been crowned at Gloucester, with his mother's bracelet, swearing to rule according to Magna Carta, and good Hubert de Burgh undertook to govern for him, one baron after another came back to him. Louis was beaten in a battle at Lincoln; and when his wife sent him more troops, Hubert de Burgh got ships together and sunk many vessels, and drove the others back in the Straits of Dover; so that Louis was forced to go home and leave England in peace.

Henry must have been too young to understand about Magna Carta when he swore to it, but it was the trouble of all his long reign to get him to observe it. It was not that he was wicked like his father-- for he was very religious and kind-hearted--but he was too good- natured, and never could say No to anybody. Bad advisers got about him when he grew up, and persuaded him to let them take good Hubert de Burgh and imprison him. He had taken refuge in a church, but they dragged him out and took him to a blacksmith to have chains put on his feet; the smith however said he would never forge chains for the man who had saved his country from the French. De Burgh was afterwards set free, and died in peace and honor.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who died with peace and honor?
2. Who were King John's sons?
3. Were they older
4. How old were they?
5. Who was beaten at a battle at Lincoln?
6. Who sent him more troops?
7. Who was too little to comprehend the Magna Carta?
8. Who was he talked into imprisoning?
9. Where did they drag him out of?
10. Did they tie his feet with rope?
11. What did they put on his feet?
12. Who was crowned at Gloucester?
13. Why did the barons call the French Louis?
14. Who got ships together and downed a lot of other ships?
15. What was Louis forced to do then?
16. Who was super religious and had a good heart?
17. Did he ever say No to anyone?
18. What did the blacksmith say he would never do?
19. What was little Henry crowned with?
20. What did he swear to rule by?
A: 1. De Burgh
2. Henry and Richard
3. no
4. nine and seven years old
5. Louis
6. his wife
7. Henry
8. Hubert de Burgh
9. a church where he had taken refuge
10. no
11. he was taken to a blacksmith to have chains put on his feet
12. little Henry
13. because John was such a wretch
14. Hubert de Burgh
15. he was forced to go home and leave England in peace
16. Henry
17. no
18. forge chains for the man who had saved his country from the French
19. his mother's bracelet
20. the Magna Carta,
Q: CHAPTER XXXIX.

A NEW FLIRTATION.

[Illustration]

John Eames sat at his office on the day after his return to London, and answered the various letters which he had found waiting for him at his lodgings on the previous evening. To Miss Demolines he had already written from his club,--a single line, which he considered to be appropriate to the mysterious necessities of the occasion. "I will be with you at a quarter to six to-morrow.--J. E. Just returned." There was not another word; and as he scrawled it at one of the club tables while two or three men were talking to him, he felt rather proud of his correspondence. "It was capital fun," he said; "and after all,"--the "all" on this occasion being Lily Dale, and the sadness of his disappointment at Allington,--"after all, let a fellow be ever so down in the mouth, a little amusement should do him good." And he reflected further that the more a fellow be "down in the mouth," the more good the amusement would do him. He sent off his note, therefore, with some little inward rejoicing,--and a word or two also of spoken rejoicing. "What fun women are sometimes," he said to one of his friends,--a friend with whom he was very intimate, calling him always Fred, and slapping his back, but whom he never by any chance saw out of his club.

"What's up now, Johnny? Some good fortune?"

"Good fortune; no. I never have good fortunes of that kind. But I've got hold of a young woman,--or rather a young woman has got hold of me, who insists on having a mystery with me. In the mystery itself there is not the slightest interest. But the mysteriousness of it is charming. I have just written to her three words to settle an appointment for to-morrow. We don't sign our names lest the Postmaster-General should find out all about it."

Answer the following questions:
1. who never had good fortunes ?
2. who sat at the office ?
3. where did he come from ?
4. what was waiting for him ?
5. did he answer them ?
6. he wrote 1 single line to who ?
7. who just returned ?
8. what happened at Allington
9. of what ?
10. what helps if you are down at the mouth ?
11. and the more a fellow is down what more ?
12. did he send this note ?
13. who sat in the office ?
14. last name ?
15. what time was it to meet with someone ?
16. what day ?
17. what did je do ?
18. how many men were talking to him ?
A:
1. Johnny
2. John Eames
3. London
4. letters
5. yes
6. Miss Demolines
7. J. E
8. sadness
9. his disappointment
10. amusement
11. he more good the amusement
12. yes
13. John
14. Eames
15. quarter to six
16. to-morrow
17. returned
18. wo or three men