mily　in　it；　and　there　was　a　vine；　with　all　its　beauteous　leaves；　trained　all　across　the　garden　front；　making　a　pleasant　green　summer…blind　over　the　higher　half　of　the　drawing…room　windows；　that　now　stood　open；　telling　of　the　emptiness　within。
  Christabel　stood　for　a　few　moments　looking　round；　and　thinking　what　a　paradise　of　green　rest　this　would　be　to　her　hard…worked　father　and　anxious　mother；　and　how　she　should　like　to　see　her　little　brothers　and　sisters　have　one　free　run　and　roll　on　that　delicious　greensward；　instead　of　now　and　then　walking　to　one　of　the　parks　as　a　great　holiday。　　Yet　hers　was　a　very　happy　home；　and；　except　her　being　absent　from　it；　nothing　had　befallen　her　to　sadden　her　merry　young　spirits；　so　when　she　heard　the　joyous　cry　behind　her　…
  〃I'm　on　Tommy　Tittler's　ground；　Picking　up　gold　and　silver；〃
  she　turned　about；　and　laughed　as　she　saw　the　gold…finders　stooping　and　clawing　at　the　grass；　with　eyes　cast　round　about　them　for　Hal；　who　was　pursuing　Susan　in　and　out；　up　and　down　till；　with　screams　of　exultation；　she　was　safely　across　the　ridge　of　the　bowling…green；　that　served　as　〃home。〃
  When　Hal　turned　back；　Miss　Fosbrook　was　as　heedfully　and　warily　picking　up　gold　and　silver　as　any　of　the　rest　of　them。　　He　was　resolved　on　capturing　her；　but　first　David　was　such　a　tempting　prize；　with　his　back　so　very　near；　and　so　unconscious；　that　he　must　be　made　prisoner。　　A　catch　at　the　brown…holland　blousea　crya　shout　of　laughter；　and　Davy　is　led　up　behind　the　standard　maiden…blush　rose；　always　serving　as　the　prison。　　And　now　the　tug　of　war　rages　round　it；　he　darts　here　and　there　within　his　bounds；　holding　out　his　hand　to　any　kind　deliverer　whose　touch　may　set　him　free；　and　all　the　others　run　backwards　and　forwards；　trying　to　circumvent　the　watchful　jailor；　Tom　Tittler；　who；　in　front　of　the　rose…bush；　flies　instantly　at　whoever　is　only　coming　near　his　captive。
  Ha！　　Susan　had　nearlyall　but　done　it；　while　Hal　was　chasing　away　Annie。　　No；　not　she；　Hal　is　back　again；　and　with　a　shriek　away　she　scours。　　Sam！　oh；　he　is　very　near；　if　that　stupid　little　Davy　would　only　look　round；　he　would　be　free　in　another　moment；　but　he　only　gapes　at　the　pursuit　of　Susan；　and　Sam　will　touch　him　without　his　being　aware！　　Nohere's　Hal　back　again。　　Sam's　off。　　What　a　scamper！　Now's　the　timehere's　Miss　Fosbrook；　lighter…footed　than　any　of　the　children；　softly　stealing　on　tip…toe；　while　Hal　is　scaring　Johnnie。　Her　fingers　just　touch　Davy's。　　〃Freed！　　Freed！〃　is　the　cry；　and　off　goes　he；　pounding　for　home！　but　Hal　rushes　across　the　path；　he　intercepts　Miss　Fosbrook；　and；　with　a　shout　of　triumphThere　is　the　sound　of　a　rent。　　Everybody　stands　a　little　aghast。
  〃It　is　only　the　gathers；〃　says　Miss　Fosbrook　good…humouredly。　　〃I'll　tuck　them　up　and　sew　them　in　by　and　by；　but　really；　Hal；　you　need　not　pull　so　furiously；　I　would　have　yielded　to　something　short　of　that。〃
  〃Gowns　are　such　stuff！〃　said　Hal；　really　meaning　it　for　an　apology；　though　it　did　not　sound　like　one；　for　her　good…natured　face　abashed　him　a　little。
  〃Touch　and　take　used　to　be　our　rule；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。
  Bessie　eagerly　said　that　would　be　the　best　way；　the　boys　were　so　rude；　but　all　the　rest　with　one　voice　cried　out　that　it　would　be　very　stupid；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　did　not　press　it；　but　only　begged　in　a　droll　way　that　some　one　would　take　pity　on　her；　and　come　to　release　her；　and　so　alert　was　she　in　skipping　towards　her　allies　from　behind　the　rose…bush；　that　Bessie　presently　succeeded　in　giving　the　rescuing　touch；　and　she　flew　back　quick　as　a　bird　to　the　safe　territory；　dragging　Bessie　with　her；　who　otherwise　would　have　assuredly　been　caught；　and　who；　warm　with　the　spirit　of　the　game；　felt　as　if　she　should　have　been　quite　glad　to　be　made　prisoner　for　her　dear　Christabel's　sake。
  An　hour　after；　and　all　the　children　were　in　bed。　　Susan　and　Annie　agreeing　that　a　governess　was　no　such　great　bother　after　all；　and　Elizabeth　lying　awake　to　whisper　over　to　herself；　〃Christabel　Angela；　Christabel　Angela！　　That's　my　secret！〃　in　a　sort　of　dream　of　pleasure　that　will　make　most　people　decide　on　her　being　a　very　silly　little　girl。
  And　Christabel　Angela　herself　sat　mending　her　gathers；　and　thinking　over　her　first　week　of　far　greater　difficulties　than　she　had　contemplated　when　she　had　left　home　with　the　understanding　that　she　was　to　be　entirely　under　Mrs。　Merrifield's　direction。　　Poor　Mrs。　Merrifield　had　said　much　of　regret　at　leaving　her　to　such　a　crew　of　little　savages；　and　she　had　only　tried　to　set　the　mother's　mind　at　rest　by　being　cheerful；　and　though　she　felt　that　it　was　a　great　undertaking　to　manage　those　great　boys　out　of　lesson…hours；　she　knew　that　when　a　thing　cannot　be　helped；　strength　and　aid　is　given　to　those　who　seek　for　it　sincerely。
  And　on　the　whole；　she　felt　thankful　to　the　children　for　having　behaved　even　as　well　as　they　had　done。
  CHAPTER　III。
  〃Grant　to　us；　Thy　humble　servants；　that　by　Thy　holy　inspiration　we　may　think　those　things　that　be　good；　and　by　Thy　merciful　guiding　may　perform　the　same；〃　spelt　out　David　with　some　trouble　and　difficulty；　as　he　stood　by　Miss　Fosbrook　on　Sunday　morning。
  〃Miss　Fosbrook？〃
  〃Well；　my　dear。〃
  〃Miss　Fosbrook？〃
  Another　〃Well。〃
  〃Is　wanting　to　buy　a　pig　one　of　the　'things　that　be　good'？'
  〃Anything　kind　and　right　is　good；　my　dear；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　a　little　vexed　at　a　sort　of　snorting　she　heard　from　the　other　end　of　the　room。
  〃Davy　thinks　the　pig　is　in　his　Collect；〃　said　Sam。
  He　was　one　of　those　who　were　especially　proud　of　being　downright；　and　in　him　it　often　amounted　to　utter　regardlessness　of　people's　feelings；　yet　not　out　of　ill…nature；　and　when　Susan　responded；　〃Don't　teaze　Davyhe　can't　bear　it；〃　he　was　silent；　but　the　mischief　was　done；　and　when　Miss　Fosbrook　went　on　saying　that　the　wish　to　help　the　poor　woman　was　assuredly　a　good　thought；　which　the　little　boy　might　well　ask　to　be　aided　in　fulfilling；　David　had　grown　ashamed；　and　would　not　listen。　　But　the　mention　of　the　pig　had　set　off　Master　Henry；　who　was　sitting　up　in　the　window…seat　with　Annie；　also　learning　the　Collect；　and　he　burst　out　into　descriptions　of　the　weight　of　money　that　would　be　found　in　Toby；　and　how　he　meant　to　go　to　the　fair　with　Purday；　and　help　him　to　choose　the　pig；　and　drive　it　home。
  〃More　likely　to　hinder；〃　muttered　Sam。
  〃Besides；　Papa　wouldn't　let　you；〃　added　Bessie；　but　Hal　did　not　choose　to　hear；　and　went　on　as　to　how　the　pig　should　ran　away　with　Purday；　and　jump　into　a　stall　full　of　parliament　gingerbread　（whereat　Annie　fell　into　convulsions　of　laughing）；　and　Hal　should　be　the　first　to　stop　it；　and　jump　on　its　back；　and　ride　out　of　the　fair　holding　it　by　the　ears；　and　then　they　should　pop　it　into　the　sty　unknown　to　Hannah　Higgins；　and　all　lie　in　wait　to　hear　what　would　happen；　and　when　it　squealed；　she　would　think　it　the　baby　crying；　but　there　Susan　burst　out　at　the　notion　of　any　one　thinking　a　child　could　scream　like　a　pig；　taking　it　as　an　affront　to　all　babyhood；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　took　the　opportunity　of　saying；
  〃Hadn't　you　better　hatch　your　chickens　before　you　count　them；　Henry？　If　you　prevent　everyone　from　learning　the　Collect；　I　fear　there　will　be　the　less　hope　of　Mr。　Piggy。〃
  〃Oh！　we　don't　have　fines　on　Sundays；〃　said　Henry。
  〃Mamma　says　that　on　Sundays　naughtiness　is　not　such　a　trifle　that　we　can　be　fined　for　it；〃　said　Susan。
  〃It　is　not　naughtiness　we　are　ever　fined　for；〃　added　Elizabeth：　〃THAT　we　are　punished　and　talked　to　for：　　but　the　fines　are　only　for　bad　habits。〃
  〃Oh！　　I　hope　I　sha'n't　have　any　this　week；〃　sighed　Susan。
  〃You　may　hope；〃　said　Sam。　　〃You're　sure　of　them　for　everything　possible　except　crying。〃
  〃Yes；　Bessie　gets　all　the　crying　fines；〃　said　Hal；　〃and　I　hope　she'll　have　lots；　because　she　won't　help　the　pig。〃
  Bessie　started　up　from　her　place　and　rushed　out　of　the　room；　while　Miss　Fosbrook　indignantly　exclaimed；
  〃Really；　boys；　I　can't　think　how　you　can　be　so　ill…natured！〃
  They　looked　up　as　though　it　were　quite　a　new　light　to　them；　and　Susan　exclaimed；
  〃Oh；　Miss　Fosbrook！　they　don't　mean　it：　　Sam　and　Hal　never　were　ill…　natured　in　their　lives。〃
  〃I　don't　know　what　you　call　ill…natured；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃unless　it　is　saying　the　very　things　most　likely　to　vex　another。〃
  〃I　don't　mean　to　vex　anybody；〃　said　Henry；　〃only　we　always　go　on　so；　and　nobody　is　such　a　baby　as　to　mind；　except　Bessie。〃
  And　Sam　muttered；　〃One　can't　be　always　picking　one's　words。〃
  〃I　am　not　going　to　argue　about　it；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃and　it　is　time　to　get　ready　for　church。　　Only　I　thought　manliness　was　shown　in　kindness　to　the　weak；　and　avoiding　what　can　pain　them。〃
  She　went　away；　and　Susan　was　the　first　to　exclaim；
  〃I　didn't　think　she'd　have　been　so　cross！〃
  〃Stuff；　Sue！〃　said　Sam；　〃it's　not　being　cross。　　I　like　her　for　having　a　spirit；　but　one　can't　be　finikin　and　mealy…mouthed　to　suit　her　London　manners。　　I　like　the　truth。〃
  It　would　have　been　well　if　any　one　had　been　by　to　tell　Mr。　Samuel　that　truth　of　character　does　not　consist　in　disagreeable　and　uncalled…for　personalities。
  Miss　Fosbrook　did　not　wonder　at　little　Elizabeth　for　her　discomfort　under　the　rude　homeliness　of　Stokesley；　where　the　children　made　a　bad　copy　of　their　father's　sailor　bluntness；　and　th