clattered up the back stairs to their room-where they gathered together, and surveyed the mess they were in, with not unmixed satisfaction.

'I wonder how much love we have for our parents!' quoth Edward. 'I am sure you have none, Dick. Just look at your boots!'

'I say! I like that; just look at your muddy trousers! I am sure your love is as bad. What do you say, Tommy?'

'I'm horrid wet,' replied Tommy. 'I jumped into that ditch; I didn't mean it; but I could not get over. I don't think Matilda will want a walk again soon; do you?'

'No, indeed,' said Dick. But, Edward, what are we to do? I can't live on like this till August; I can't.'.

'How can we help it? We can't write to papawe should get no answer before August, scarcely; and we know no one else. I wish we could ask some one what to do.'

The three boys began unlacing their boots and slipping off their dirty things in silence. Suddenly Richard burst out with, 'I wish Mr. Talbot were here! He would be the man to help us. Don't you remember he told us we should probably have

tree-climbing and plenty of fun? I am sure he would not bother about our clothes.'

Mr. Talbot! Yes, there did seem a friend at hand. But how could Edward get at him, on his own and his brothers' behalf? Writing was a strong measure, and matters were not ripe for that yet. There seemed no other way; but Edward could not make up his mind to take such an extreme course at present.

Matilda had in the meanwhile repaired to her aunt, the housekeeper, with all her mud upon her dainty garments, and all her annoyance swelling at her heart. Mrs. Robins was engaged in examining some beautiful linen table-cloths at the time; and, spectacle on nose, she listened to her niece's tale. An unsoftened one it was, for Matilda was aggrieved bitterly. As the tale was finished, Mrs. Robins returned to her linen in silence, to her niece's surprise, who impatiently asked if such doings were to be allowed.

'You must not walk with them again,' replied her aunt. 'One of the men must go, if they can't be trusted alone. Go and tidy yourself, and don't make any complaint. I will speak to Master and Mistress about it. I am certain,' she continued to

herself, as Matilda angrily left the room,-'I am certain we are doing ill by these boys. They are young spirited things, and we are making them live the lives of old maids and invalids. It will never do; I am certain of it!'

And good Robins continued her task, considering in the meantime what she had best do about the boys. The first step she took was to carry up their hot water herself. She did not seem to observe the heaps of garments strewn about the floor,-she merely remarked that Matilda was tired with so long and weary a walk, and she should not trust her in the boys' care again; and shut the door behind her as she finished her sentence.

'Trust her in our care! I thought we were in hers!' exclaimed Edward. 'I am sure I did not understand that; did you, Richard?'

'No! to be sure not. Maybe she would have been better used, if we had known that. But it's a dreadful place-a dreadful place!'

Mrs. Robins made no attempt to seek her master or mistress, she really felt disinclined to make any complaint of the boys. She had had a boy of her own once, and she felt much pity for these, so to speak, orphaned children; so she let them and their

dirt alone for that time, determining that, as far as she could, she would take the attendance on them upon herself, and thus remove Matilda from a worry that she could not understand.

But Sunday brought matters to a climax; and this was the manner how:-Poor Miss Lawrence, who entirely discredited her brother's croaking about the boys, and whose astonishment, as I have said, equalled her delight at finding herself so obeyed,— whose sympathies were not yet aroused for her young guests, and whose knowledge of children was nil, whilst her sense of duty was STRONG,—dear Miss Lawrence had carefully arranged how this Sunday should be spent.

She unfortunately belonged to that school of religionists who consider 'holy' to mean the reverse of agreeable or amusing. Therefore, being bidden. to 'keep the Sabbath holy,' she made it a fast from all light and joyful pastime. Her face was drawn down to an unusual length every Sunday morning, and so remained until Monday permitted her to relax it. After a time the boys learnt to call it aunt's Sunday face. Mr. Lawrence could not 'keep the Sabbath' with the same chilling solemnity as his sister. His nature would not allow him.