NE bright day in the early spring, two dusty flies drove up to the door of Chilcot

Folly, and out of them tumbled or jumped a number of pale-faced children, two nurses, and a young governess; besides, numerous toys, dolls, and packages of all shapes and sizes.

In a few minutes the children were all scampering about, laughing and shouting, quite delighted to be on their own legs once more.

All but one pale, large-eyed little boy, who sat down wearily on a garden chair. He was soon joined by a tall girl of about fifteen, with a very sweet face, who looked at him quite anxiously as she said

'Is not this a pretty place, dear? You will soon get well and strong here, won't you?'

A

'I don't know,' answered Clement.

'Are you very tired, darling?' asked the girl. 'I wanted to take you round and find out all the pretty places; but perhaps you would rather rest a little first?'

'Yes, I would rather rest first,' answered the boy; 'my back aches and my head aches. I can't get the noise of the train out of it. I hate horrid trains.'

'Never mind, dear; you will soon be better now. There is Miss Jewel, I will run and ask her where your room is.'

The girl soon returned, followed by Miss Jewel, the governess.

'Are you very tired, Clement, dear?' she said. 'I will take you to your room; you don't know what a pretty room it is; and to-morrow, when you are rested, you shall have a drive and see everything,' and she led the way into the house.

Both the children stood still and looked round them when they crossed the threshold. It was a large square hall, with seats round it, and great fur rugs, and Indian matting, and large pots of ferns. On the wall were hung antlers and foxes' tails, and fishing-rods and guns, and over the door a terrific-looking bull's head, with wide-spreading horns and large glass eyes.

'I don't like that great animal, it stares at me so,' said Clement. Take me away, Effie;' and he clutched his sister's hand very tight.

She looked down at him with quite a motherly expression in her soft, brown eyes.

'Why, you silly Clem, it is only stuffed!'

'But it has such great eyes,' said Clement.

'Yes, they are very big, but they are only glass. I think this is a lovely hall; what a capital place it will be for romps!'

'But you know I don't care for romps, Effie,' said Clem, rather peevishly.

'You will before we have been here long, I hope,' said Miss Jewel. Now come and see your pretty new bedroom.'

She led the way up a wide winding staircase, and into a large lobby or ante-room, from the windows of which was a lovely view of the sweet Kentish country. All round the room were bedroom doors, and on one side a very steep staircase.

Clem smiled for the first time when he saw the staircase.

'That is funny,' he said. 'Why, it is just like Jacob's ladder!' and Jacob's ladder it was always called by the children from that day.

'Those stairs lead up into the nurseries and the servants' bedrooms,' said Miss Jewel; but your papa thought it would tire you too much to go up them often, so you are to have a little room leading out of mine, all to yourself.'

'But I shall be afraid to sleep all by myself,' said Clement.

'I do not think you will, dear boy. It will be so nice and quiet for you; and you shall have the door into my room open whenever you like.'

Then I shan't mind,' answered Clem, looking relieved. 'You will come to me if I am frightened, won't you?'

Yes, that I will, dear. You must call me when you feel nervous.'

'Which is the room, please?' asked Effie.

'That door on the left is mine, and the one next to it is Clement's,' said Miss Jewel.

'Let us see mine first,' said Clement, as he opened the door.

'Oh, what a darling little room!' cried Effie, running in past him; 'all so white and clean, and roses on the walls. Clem, you will be so comfortable, and you will soon have lovely flowers looking at you through the window. Oh, I do love the country! Don't you, Jewey?'

'Yes, I do, darling,' answered Miss Jewel; 'everything looks so pure and sweet. What do you think

about it, Clem?'

'Oh, it is better than the nasty, noisy streets! answered Clem; 'but I don't think anything is very nice.'

'I think you are tired, and had better lie down, dear. I will come and fetch you when tea is ready.'

In a very few minutes the boy was fast asleep on his pretty white bed, for he was quite tired out. Even in sleep he looked anxious and fretful; and his cheeks had little more colour in them than the pillow.

It was chiefly on Clement's account that Dr. Bradley had sent his children into the country. They had all been ill with scarlet fever, and were none of them very strong yet. Poor little Clement seemed to grow more and more delicate every day; so at last Dr. Bradley determined to try what change and country air would do for him, for he began to fear that he would lose his little Clement altogether if he kept him in the close London streets. So he took Chilcot Folly of a friend who wanted to go abroad, and sent all the children down there, under the care of Miss Jewel and Nurse Price.

Dr. Bradley knew that he would feel very lonely in the great house in Harley Street all by himself, for he had lost his wife some years before; but as the children had no kind mother to look after them, he often felt very anxious about their health, so he made up his mind to part with them, for he knew that he could thoroughly trust Miss Jewel.

By six o'clock the children had had a good run,