'Will you just mend my gloves, nurse?' said Philip, coming into the room; 'they have got great holes in them, and I must be tidy to go out with mother.'

'I'm afraid I shall not have time,' said nurse, 'for I have got to dress all the children.'

'I will do it for you if you will let me,' said Minnie, who was now quite a clever little needle

woman.

'Oh, that's jolly!' replied Philip, 'you're a brick, Min.'

When the children got down-stairs they found mamma waiting for them in the passage.

'What a melancholy set of little faces!' she said when she saw them.

'We are so sorry that we cannot go to Melverton,' said Motty.

'I only told you I would see about it,' answered

mamma.

Meanwhile Minnie's curiosity was excited, for she saw nurse coming down dressed, with the children, and she saw Emma the house-maid standing outside the front door, with a basket in her hand, and a shawl.

When they came outside, they saw the horse and spring-cart waiting; and mamma said—

'Get in, children, but don't step on the baskets.' 'Nurse said we weren't going,' said Motty. 'No, you are not going to Melverton,' answered

mamma.

'Where are we going?' asked Minnie.

'I am sorry that you are disappointed,' replied mamma, but I thought that perhaps you would like to go to Douceland Sands instead.'

'Oh! mamma! mamma!' screamed Minnie; oh, you dear, sweet, kind mamma!'

'Hurrah! Hurrah, for mother!' shouted Johnny. 'That's fine,' said Philip.

'How glorious!' echoed Motty.

'Hurrah!' cried little Dick, in imitation of his brother.

'Everybody is happy, and so am I,' said Susy. 'And I am the happiest of all,' said mamma. Douceland Sands was a very favourite place with the children, and it was about the greatest treat they could have, to be allowed to go there for a day. They went very seldom, because it was four miles from where they lived, so they more often went to Melverton woods, which was

only one mile off. They had a very pleasant drive, and they sang songs as they went, because they were so merry. When they came to the beach, they all ran down to the edge of the water, to play with the waves.

'What a dear little tiny island!' said Susy, pointing to a little bit of land quite close to them, with a rock on it, which was not yet covered with

water.

'Let us make a bridge of stones across, shall we?' said Johnny.

'Oh yes, do let us!' replied Minnie.

'All hands to work then!' said Johnny, as he took up a big stone, and threw it into the

water.

They all worked hard for half an hour, fetching stones, and putting them in a heap, for Philip and Johnny to build the bridge. They several times got a good splashing while they were standing on the rather tottering bridge, trying to arrange the stones firmly; and once Johnny very nearly fell into the water, when he was trying to dance on the bridge.

After a good deal of trouble, for the water would keep rising as fast as they piled up stones,