Godfrey didn't return to school at all. He fancied that it would be more aristocratic to go to a boarding school, and, his mother concurring in this view, he was entered as a scholar at the Melville Academy, situated in Melville, twelve miles distant. Once a fortnight he came home to spend the Sunday. On these occasions he flourished about with a tiny cane, and put on more airs than ever. No one missed him much, outside of his own family. Andy found the school considerably more agreeable after his departure.  
We will now suppose twelve months to have passed. During this time Andy has grown considerably, and is now quite a stout boy. He has improved also in education. The Misses Grant, taking a kind interest in his progress, managed to spare him half the day in succeeding terms, so that he continued to attend school. Knowing that he had but three hours to learn, when the others had six, he was all the more diligent, and was quite up to the average standard for boys of his age. The fact is, Andy was an observing boy, and he realized that education was essential to success in life. Mr. Stone, before going away, talked with him on this subject and gave him some advice, which Andy determined to follow.
 
As may be inferred from what I have said, Andy was still working for the Misses Grant. He had grown accustomed to their ways, and succeeded in giving them perfect satisfaction, and accomplished quite as much work as John, his predecessor, though the latter was a man.
 
As Christmas approached, Miss Priscilla said one day to her sister:
 
"Don't you think, Sophia, it would be well to give Andrew a Christmas present?"
 
"Just so," returned Sophia, approvingly.
 
"He has been very faithful and obliging all the time he has been with us."
 
"Just so."
 
"I have been thinking what would be a good thing to give him."
 
"A pair of spectacles," suggested Sophia, rather absent-mindedly.
 
"Sophia, you are a goose."
 
"Just so," acquiesced her sister, meekly.
 
"Such a gift would be very inappropriate."
 
"Just so."
 
"A pair of boots," was the next suggestion.
 
"That would be better. Boots would be very useful, but I think it would be well to give him something that would contribute to his amusement. Of course, we must consult his taste, and not out own. We are not boys."
 
"Just so," said Sophia, promptly. "And he is not a lady," she added, enlarging upon the idea.
 
"Of course not. Now, the question is, what do boys like?"
 
"Just so," said Sophia, but this admission did not throw much light upon the character of the present to be bought.
 
Just then Andy himself helped them to a decision. He entered, cap in hand, and said:
 
"If you can spare me, Miss Grant, I would like to go skating on the pond."
 
"Have you a pair of skates, Andrew?"
 
"No, ma'am," said Andy; "but one of the boys will lend me a pair."
 
"Yes, Andrew; you can go, if you will be home early."
 
"Yes, ma'am—thank you."
 
As he went out, Miss Priscilla said:
 
"I have it."
 
"What?" asked Sophia, alarmed.
 
"I mean that I have found out what to give to Andrew."
 
"What is it?"
 
"A pair of skates."
 
"Just so," said Sophia. "He will like them."
 
"So I think. Suppose we go to the store while he is away, and buy him a pair."
 
"Won't he need to try them on?" asked her sister.
 
"No," said Priscilla. "They don't need to fit as exactly as boots."
 
So the two sisters made their way to the village store, and asked to look at their stock of skates.
 
"Are you going to skate, Miss Priscilla?" asked the shopkeeper, jocosely.
 
"No; they are for Sophia," answered Priscilla, who could joke occasionally.
 
"Oh, Priscilla," answered the matter-of-fact Sophia, "you didn't tell me about that. I am sure I could not skate. You said they were for Andrew."
 
"Sophia, you are a goose."
 
"Just so."
 
"It was only a joke."
 
"Just so."
 
The ladies, who never did things by halves, selected the best pair in the store, and paid for them. When Andy had returned from skating, Priscilla said: "How did you like the............