CHAPTER VIII.

THE PICNIC.

"WHAT a smart concern to be sure!" said John, as with his hands in his pockets he walked admiringly round Mrs. Falkland's elegant carriage. His sister, quite prepared for the excursion, stood by his side; but Miss Adeliza Curzon had not yet completed her toilet, and the rest of the party were politely waiting within doors, until the young lady should appear.

John's eyes glistened, as one basket of provisions after another, was carefully stowed away by the footman, and a tempting array of dainties he had never tasted, passed in quick succession before his mind. One basket, in particular, that the cook had placed under the seat of the carriage, attracted his attention, from the very agreeable odour that proceeded from it; and he longed to raise the cloth, and peep at its contents.

The absence of the powdered footman at length enabled him to gratify his curiosity, and jumping into the carriage, he dragged out the basket, lifted up the cover, and his unspeakable joy, a most splendid plum-cake.

saw, to "O Nancy!" cried he, "do come and look! isn't it a famous cake?"

"It is, indeed;" exclaimed Nancy, clapping her hands with delight; "but don't you long for a taste?

"And why should n't we?" replied John, in a decided tone; "the cake is ours, and the carriage too, and the powdered footman into the bargain, now we're become the Miss and Master."

"But, Mrs. Falkland?" said Nancy, timidly.

"O never mind about her, she's out of the way, thank goodness; so sit down there, and I'll cut you a capital slice.” So saying he placed the cake on his knees, and drawing out a large clasp knife, began to work away most zealously. "This is cut and come again;" said he, as he offered a huge slice to his sister, who was in the act of conveying it to her mouth, when the footman suddenly opened the door, and Miss Adeliza Curzon, followed by Mrs. Falkland and Sir Harry Bartram, made their appearance. Miss Adeliza withdrew her foot from the step, and turned away, with an expression of extreme disgust.

"It's those children, again;" said she, curling her lip with disdain.

As soon as John caught sight of Mrs. Falkland's angry countenance, he rubbed his knife on the sleeve of his coat, and shutting it, abruptly thrust the cake under the seat; while Nancy crammed the huge slice into her pocket, to be

devoured at a more convenient time.

"Charles! Agatha!" exclaimed Mrs. Falkland, looking from one to the other, in high displeasure; "what is the meaning of this?"

The children made no reply; but turning very red in the face, sat with their eyes fixed on the ground.

"My dear Madam," said Sir Harry, good-naturedly, "You forget the natural affinity between boys and plum-cake. I` dare say in my younger days, I committed far more serious depredations than my little friend, here; and escaped with impunity."

But Mrs. Falkland regarded the culprits with unabated severity.

"I cannot think of indulgence;" said she, "when your conduct calls so loudly for correction. You must therefore return to the house, and be committed to the care of Mrs. Rachael, while we proceed on our excursion."

At the dreaded name of Mrs. Rachael, the children roused themselves from their lethargy, and cast so beseeching a look on Sir Harry, that the kind-hearted baronet was moved to still greater exertions in their behalf. He begged so hard, that their mamma was at length induced to retract her sentence, and received them once more into her favour.

During this delay, Miss Adeliza Curzon reclined gracefully on a garden-seat, and it was not until she had entertained Sir Harry with a long harangue on the naughtiness of children, and the firmness of her friend the marchioness, that she suffered him to lead her to the carriage.

The drive to the wood was short and easy, and lay through a pretty green lane shaded by trees. But John and Nancy thought it would never be ended, for they dared neither stir nor speak in the awful presence of Mrs. Falkland. There was but one consolation under all these troubles, and that was, to pass so many of their old playmates, and to be bowed and curtsied to, as the young lady and gentleman of the hall.

John was very much elated by this homage; and struck with his own importance, he pulled down his waistcoat, settled his collar, and hoped to dazzle the village boys by his magnificence.

The gratification of his vanity very soon came to an end; and on arriving at the wood, the children found it sadly dull work, to walk hand in hand after the rest of the party, narrowly watched by the scrutinizing glances of Mrs. Falkland.

"What's the good of coming here to look at green trees that one sees every day of one's life?" whispered John, as he listened with supreme contempt to the exclamations of the

company.

"I wish they would let us play," returned Nancy; "it's so stupid to walk about in this way doing nothing."

"I'll tell you what," said John, in a low and emphatic voice; "we'll run away."