"Oh, perhaps a bit of anxiety," said Wayness carelessly.

"But please don't be stern with me."

"Are you busy?"

"No more than usual. Why do you ask?"

"May I come to see you?"

"Here? At Riverview House?"

"Certainly; where else?"

There was a pause of three seconds, then a somewhat dubious response: "That would be nice. However ..."

Glawen waited, but the silence persisted. Finally, in a flat voice, he said: "Very well. I won't come."

Wayness said: "I don't quite know how to explain ... Except simply state the facts. You can come if you like. But after you leave, I'll have to participate in another earnest discussion with my mother."

"Another?"

"After we came home from sailing I made the mistake of telling her that it was a beautiful day and that I liked you."

"She disapproves of me?"

"No, but that's not the point. She's convinced that it's unpractical for me to see you, except on a very polite and impersonal basis. She says that anything else can't possibly lead anywhere, and she wonders why I am not sufficiently clearheaded to see this for myself. I can only say that I, too, am perplexed. Then she becomes analytical. She asks a rhetorical question: suppose the relationship proceeded and we were even foolish enough to marry? To save me the exertion of thinking, she answers the question herself. It would turn out to be a tragedy, says Mother. Where would we live? On Stroma? Not feasible. You would be a fish out of water. At Clattuc House? The same applies to me." Wayness gave a soft laugh.

"Of course she's right; I can't argue with her. Then she asks the question I keep asking myself:

What am I going to do with my life? Unlike me, she has an answer."

"And his first name is Julian."

"I learn that it's an opportunity which comes only once in a lifetime. I tell her that I don't want to worry about such things just yet. She explains that time has a way of sliding past, and before you know it, you're stringy and gaunt and your back hurts, and where are the opportunities now? Gone. This leaves me depressed and tired. Tonight I'm not up to it, and I think that you'd better not come."

"Does that mean tomorrow night too, and all the other nights?"

Wayness laughed again: a rather desperate sound.

"It does sound like that, doesn't it? I'll have to ponder on this.

I'm not meek, but I want no more dreary discussions with Mother, especially when she may be right."

"Just as you like."

"Glawen! Now you're angry with me!"

"I don't know what to think. On top of all else, I now must become a Bold Lion, and I sorely wish that Bodwyn Wook were learning the roars and growls instead of me."

Wayness tried to maintain a tone of sober sympathy, without total success.

"You're probably being prepared for an important mission;

when you learn the details you'll no doubt think better of the program, despite the yelps and howls."

"Roars and growls, to be exact."

"In either case it's a recondite skill, totally unknown to Julian Bohost--who, incidentally, is coming to visit Riverview House before too long. Perhaps you'll want to meet him."

"It will be a pleasure."

"Goodnight, Glawen."

"Goodnight."

At the appointed hour, Glawen arrived at the Old Arbor. He made his way to that corner preempted by the Bold Lions for their Den, and took a seat, somewhat apart, in the shadows.

Three of the members, Kirdy Wook, Cloyd Diffin and Jardine Laverty, were already on hand, and a moment later Shugart Veder and the two Offaws, Uther and Kiper, appeared.

Grand Pouncer Uther Offaw addressed the group.

"This meeting was called tonight by reason of an alarming development requiring our instant attention. As we know, there has been chronic trouble with the Yips and it seems to be getting worse--so bad in fact that the authorities were canceling all excursions, including the Rip-roar! However, I am happy to report that Kirdy today made forceful representations in high places. He pointed out that we had already

made our preparations, and in short exerted full lion power.

As a result he managed to get the order rescinded. For this we owe Kirdy three rousing growls: let's hear them loud and clear! Hurrah, Kirdy!"

Dutifully the Lions voiced three growls of approval.

"Very good! Happily the disaster is averted! Kirdy, do you have anything to say?"

"Well, yes. Tardy Diffin's resignation leaves an opening in the group, for which place I'd like to nominate a fine long-tailed creature with a resplendent mane: Glawen Clattuc! He will bring agility and clever new tactics to our pride!"

Uther Offaw cried out: "A great choice! I'll second that nomination myself! Is there any discussion? Any objection?

In that case, I declare Glawen Clattuc unanimously elected a full-fledged Bold Lion. Three growls of acclamation for Glawen Clattuc, and let them ring loud!"

The growls were rendered with gusto and Glawen thereby became a Bold Lion.

On the following day Aries waited by the portal which opened between Wansey Way and the lyceum terrace. Presently Uther Offaw came past. Aries stepped forward.

"Uther, just a minute, if you please!"

Uther paused.

"Make it quick, like a good fellow; I can spare just a minute."

"What I have to say is important," declared Aries.