ing up the things in; and besides, he would not like to be shut up. Perhaps he will sit in the waggon.'

Mrs. Lawley took Polly on her wrist, and placed him in the waggon, and he sat very happily on one of the benches, where they left him until they were ready to start. I think the bird was very tired of being out in the wood, where he could find very little to eat, and where the wild birds would not make friends with him—for they could not understand his fashionable way of speaking— and was glad to meet with friends, and to be taken home to his master.

CHAPTER X.

LOOKING FOR THE DONKEYS.

HE thing next to be done was to wash all the plates and knives and forks, and pack them away. Mr. Dale said he would not trust George within a yard of the water, or he would be falling in again, and requiring fresh drying; so Horace and Harry, and Sam and Willie, had to wash the plates. Alice also would help; and Mrs. Dale and Mrs. Lawley packed them all up as fast as they were dried, and put them away in the hamper.

'Now, boys, look up the donkeys!' called out Mr. Lawley. No one had thought anything about the donkeys since that one had stolen the bread from the dinner-table; and now not a donkey was to be seen.

'Why, we had quite forgotten the donkeys,' said Horace.

E

'Which shows what donkeys you must have been!' said Mr. Dale.

Perhaps they will hear and answer their brother,' said Harry. Let's try. Hee haw! hee haw!' but no 'hee haw!' came in return.

'Suppose we never find them?' said George. 'Suppose they are miles away?' said Sam. 'Suppose we go and look for them?' said Mr. Dale.

'Well, that is not a bad idea, sir,' said Harry ; 'for they are not likely to look for us.'

Every now and then the children thought they saw the print of a donkey's foot on the turf, and then there would be an outcry and a great deal of talking, and nothing came of it in the end; and still the donkeys were not found.

George said that he really could not hop on one leg any longer; and as he had been clinging first to one person, and then to another, in turn, they were all very glad to get rid of him, and they set him down on the grass.

'How shall we find you again?' asked Horace. 'Oh, easily enough, I should think,' said George; but you are not going to leave me alone here, are you?'

'Why not? what are you afraid of?'

'Oh! all sorts of things,' said George, pretending to cry. 'Lions and tigers and bears. Toby, stop and take care of me. I can't run away, you know, if anything comes.'

'Yes; I'll stop and take care of you,' said Toby, quite gravely.

Mr. Lawley looked round.

'Bob and Tom

Jackson have made off as usual, I see. I never knew such boys.'

Perhaps they will be the first to find the donkeys,' said Mr. Dale.

So George and Toby were left behind, and the others went on their way. Harry,' said Mr. Lawley, as they were walking, 'have you quite given up the idea of the sea?'

Harry turned very red, and he looked another way before he answered.

'I must give it up, sir, there is no help for it; but I cannot help thinking of it often. But there he added, it is of no use saying any more. I ought to stay at home to take care of Toby, and I will.'

But Toby will be better able to take care of himself in a couple of years,' said Mr. Lawley.

'No; he will then want me more than ever, perhaps, to take his part at school. I must keep by him, for I promised I would.'

'You are quite right, my dear boy!' said Mr. Lawley.

I should not like to be a sailor,' said Willie Dale, who was walking within hearing.

'Why not?' asked Mr. Lawley.

Why, they have to fight sometimes, haven't they?'

'Yes, in time of war; but shouldn't you like the fighting?'

'I should be afraid,' said Willie Dale; 'somebody might shoot at me, and shoot my head off.'

'Well,' said Mr. Lawley, I have met with cowardly boys before, but I don't think I ever met with such an arrant little poltroon as you are, Master Willie. Most boys would at least be ashamed of showing themselves cowards.'

'I don't like being shot at,' said Willie sulkily. 'So it seems; and I don't suppose anybody likes being shot at more than you do. Well, if all boys were like you, Willie, I am afraid we should be badly off for soldiers and sailors.'

Just then there was a cry from some of those ahead that a donkey was seen. Harry started off after them, and proposed that they should steal upon the donkey gradually; so all the children, with a great deal of giggling, and some