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diff --git a/25928.txt b/25928.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e70123 --- /dev/null +++ b/25928.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7777 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Norman Vallery, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Norman Vallery + How to Overcome Evil with Good + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Illustrator: A. Marie + +Release Date: June 29, 2008 [EBook #25928] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORMAN VALLERY *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Norman Vallery, by W.H.G. Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ +This book has a strange theme, but it is very well carried out. Norman +Vallery is a small boy, about seven years old or less. His father has +insisted that he should be brought up to believe that he should be +allowed to do exactly whatever he wished. The result was a totally +unpleasant child, unkind to animals, to his sister, and to all others +around him. This is well described in the text, but we must also say +that the numerous illustrations bring out his unpleasantness in a very +clever way. In fact the pictures are a remarkable record of Victorian +childhood, and are worth studying for their own sake. + +Norman had lived with his parents in India, where his father was a +soldier. His sister, a little older, had been brought back to England +some years before, to be brought up by her kindly old grandmother. That +was the custom in those days. At the start of the story Norman and his +parents are arriving in England, but right from the start he behaves +intolerably. + +Eventually various people treat him with kindness, and he begins to see +that kindness is a more profitable way to work with others. Furthermore +there is a serious incident in which he is hurt, really through his own +fault, and in which another child to whom Norman has been unkind proves +to be his saviour. Ultimately he goes away to a proper boarding school +where he gets excellent marks for his behaviour. He is a changed boy! + +________________________________________________________________________ +NORMAN VALLERY, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +JUST COME FROM INDIA. + +"Are they really coming to-morrow, granny?" exclaimed Fanny Vallery, a +fair, blue-eyed, sweet-looking girl, as she gazed eagerly at the face of +Mrs Leslie, who was seated in an arm-chair, near the drawing-room +window. "Oh, how I long to see papa, and mamma, and dear little Norman! +I have thought, and thought so much about them; and India is so far off +it seemed as if they would never reach England." + +"Your mamma writes me word from Paris that they hope to cross the +Channel to-night, and be here early in the afternoon," answered Mrs +Leslie, looking at the open letter which she held in her hand. "I too +long to see your dear mamma; and had it not been for you, my own +darling, I should have missed her even more than I have done; but you +have ever been a good, obedient, loving child, and my greatest comfort +during her absence." + +Mrs Leslie, as she spoke, drew her grandchild towards her, and kissed +her brow. + +Fanny said nothing, but, pressing the hand which held hers, turned her +eyes towards her grandmamma's face, while the consciousness that the +praise was not wrongly bestowed, caused a bright gleam of pleasure to +pass over her countenance. + +Mrs Leslie, who had brought up Fanny from her infancy, lived in a +pretty villa a few miles from London, surrounded by shrubberies, with a +lawn and beautifully-kept flower-garden in front. On one side was a +poultry-yard, over which Fanny presided as the reigning sovereign; and +even Trusty, the spaniel, who considered himself if not the ruler at all +events the guardian of the rest of the premises, when he ventured into +her domain always followed humbly at her heels, never presuming to +interfere with her feathered subjects. More than once he had been known +to turn tail and fly as if for his life when Phoebe, the bantam hen, +with extended neck and outspread wings had run after him, as he had by +chance approached nearer to her brood of fledglings than she had +approved of. + +Fanny with her fowls, Trusty, and Kitty, the tortoiseshell cat; and her +doll, which had a house of its own fitted with furniture; and, more than +all, with the consciousness of her granny's affection, considered +herself one of the happiest little girls in existence. Everybody in the +house, indeed, loved her; and she was kind, and gentle, and loving to +every one in return. + +Her mamma--Mrs Leslie's only daughter--had married Captain Vallery, an +officer in the Indian army, while he was at home on leave, and had +accompanied him to the East. She returned three or four years +afterwards, in consequence of ill health, bringing with her little +Fanny, who, when she went back to her husband, was left under charge of +her mother, Mrs Leslie. + +Great as was Mrs Vallery's grief at parting from her child, she well +knew, from her own experience, with what wise and loving care she would +be brought up. + +Captain Vallery was of a French Protestant family, but having been +partly educated in England, and having English relations, he had entered +the British army. He was considered an honourable and brave officer, +and was a very kind husband, but Mrs Vallery discovered that he had +certain peculiar notions which were not likely to make him bring up his +children as she would desire. One of his notions was, that boys +especially, in order to develop their character, as he said, should +always be allowed to have their own way. + +"But, my dear husband," she pleaded, "suppose that way should prove to +be a bad way, what then will be the consequence?" + +"Oh, but our little Norman is a perfect cherub, surely he can have +nothing bad about him, and I must insist that no one curbs his fine and +noble temper, lest his young spirit should be broken and irretrievably +ruined," answered Captain Vallery. "I say, let the boy have his own +way, and you will see what a fine fellow he will become." + +Mrs Vallery sighed--she knew that it would be useless to contend with +her husband, though she feared, should his plan be persevered in, it +would entail many a severe trial on her boy in future years. + +Of this Mrs Leslie had some suspicions, though Fanny, who had pictured +her little brother as all she could wish him to be, looked forward with +unmitigated pleasure to having him as her companion. + +With eager interest she assisted Susan, the housemaid, in preparing the +rooms for the expected guests; for she was a notable little woman, and +she had been encouraged by her grandmamma to busy herself in household +matters. She with much taste arranged the bouquets in the vases on her +mamma's dressing-table, and then she went into the little room next her +own, in which Norman was to sleep, and placed some flowers in that also, +as well as three or four of her prettiest picture-books, which she had +carefully preserved, thinking that they might amuse him. Gently, too, +she smoothed down his pillow, and, after everything was in order, went +back delighted to make her report to granny. + +How her heart beat when a carriage drove up to the door, with a +gentleman and lady in it, whom she knew must be her papa and mamma, +while on the coach box was seated a young boy. "What a fine, noble, +little fellow he is," she thought to herself, as the boy scrambled down +without waiting for the assistance of any one. + +The next instant she scarcely knew what was happening--every one seemed +so full of confused delight. She felt that she was in her mother's +arms, who, still holding her, threw herself into those of granny. Then +her papa, a fine, handsome gentleman, took her up and kissed her again +and again; and next, she saw the little boy who had come in with a whip +in his hand; she sprang towards him exclaiming, "You are Norman!" and, +following the impulse of heart, covered his face with kisses. + +"Yes, that's my name," answered the boy, "and you are the sister Fanny I +was told I should see; and is that old woman there granny? Will she +want to kiss me as you have done? I hope she won't, for I do not choose +to be treated as a baby." + +Happily Mrs Leslie did not hear these remarks; they grieved Fanny +sorely. + +"Oh but dear granny will love you as she does me, and you must come to +her as I am sure she wants to see you," she whispered gently. "Then you +shall go out with me, and I will show you my poultry and Trusty and all +sorts of things, which I am sure you will like." + +"Come along then," said Norman, "I shall like to see the things you talk +of." + +"Not surely till you have spoken to granny, but afterwards I will gladly +take you," said Fanny, and she led him up to Mrs Leslie. + +Though his grandmamma kissed him several times, he behaved better than +might have been expected, restraining for a wonder his impatience, +somewhat awed perhaps by the dignified manner of the old lady. + +"And now, Fanny, I am ready to see what you have got to show me," he +exclaimed, as Mrs Leslie taking her daughter's arm led her into the +drawing-room. + +Captain Vallery cast a proud glance at his two beautiful children as +hand in hand they ran upstairs. + +"Here is my doll's house," said Fanny, as she led Norman into her neat +bed-chamber; "see, it has a drawing-room, with sofas and chairs and +looking-glasses, and a dining-room, with a long table and plates and +dishes and knives and forks on it; and this is the kitchen, with its +stove and pots and pans; and here is the bedroom, where little Nancy +sleeps. She is a dear good child, and never cries, but as I have had +her for a long time, she is not as pretty as she used to be. I tell +granny that she was a poor neglected little orphan, and that she came +begging at the door one day, and as she had no one to look after her, I +took her in, and that is the reason she has so many knocks and bruises." + +Fanny, as she spoke, drew out a small doll, dressed in a cotton frock, +from the doll's house, and held it up to Norman. + +"It does look just like a wretched beggar child," he observed; "I wonder +you can care for such a thing. If I were you I should throw it out of +the window, and tell papa he must get another much prettier, dressed +like a fine lady, who would be fit to walk out with you, and you need +not be ashamed of, as I should think you must be of Nancy, as you call +her." + +"Oh, but I love Nancy very much," said Fanny; "she and I have known each +other very many years, and I would not throw her away on any account. +If I ever get a finer doll, I can let Nancy attend on her, I am sure she +will be very glad to do that, for she is not a bit proud, and wishes, I +am sure, to be a good girl and please everybody." + +"You may think more of her than I do," remarked Norman, "and now, as I +am not a baby, and do not care about dolls, won't you show me some of +the other things you talk of?" + +"Oh yes!" said Fanny, "I will take you to my poultry-yard, but I must +carry Nancy with me as she has not been out all day, and she will like +to see me feed my hens. They are all very fond of me, and I hope they +will learn to know you, Norman, too, and come when you call them, and +eat out of your hand, as they do out of mine, especially Thisbe, who is +the tamest of all, and the fondest of me." + +"I do not know that I care about cocks and hens and those sort of +creatures, but I will go with you," answered Norman, tucking his whip +under his arm and accompanying Fanny. + +"O Miss Fanny," said Susan, whom they met on the way with a china vase +in her hand, "your grandmamma says that your papa is fond of flowers, +and that we ought to have put some on the mantelpiece of his +dressing-room. Will you come and help me to pick them, and will you +arrange them, as you can do so beautifully?" + +Fanny gladly undertook to do as Susan asked her, and told Norman that +after she had picked the flowers she would take him into the +poultry-yard. Putting down her doll with her back against a clump of +box, she, with a smile at her own conceit, begged him while she was +engaged to try and amuse Nancy by telling her something about India or +his voyage home. "Stuff!" he replied in a grumpy tone, and turned away, +while his sister began to pick the flowers. One side of the yard, +composed of trellis work, it should be said, was close to the garden, so +that the fowls running about within could easily be seen through the +bars. A door, also of trellis work, opened from the garden into the +yard. + +Norman though he did not care much about seeing the poultry, felt vexed +and angry that Susan should venture to draw off his sister's attention +from himself, and stood with his finger in his mouth watching them as +they were engaged in picking the flowers. + +The hens which had espied their young mistress, had gathered near the +side of the yard, and Thisbe, Fanny's favourite hen, was making +strenuous efforts to get out. Norman had strolled up to the door, and +finding that he could lift the latch opened it, and out ran Mistress +Thisbe. Fanny, not observing what had happened just then, called to +Norman, and asked him to hold the vase, that she might arrange the +flowers within it. He had taken it in his hands, when at that moment +Trusty, who had been snuffing about the rooms, not perfectly satisfied +as yet that the newly arrived strangers had a right to enter them, +espying Fanny in the garden came bounding towards her. He gave vent as +he saw Norman to a short bark, as much as to ask, "Who are you?" but +Norman, not accustomed to dogs in India, and already in no very amiable +mood, became alarmed, and dashing the vase at Trusty's head, seized his +whip, with which he began lashing about in all directions at everybody +and everything he saw near him. + +Susan seeing his alarm rushed forward, intending to assist him, but what +between anger and fear his temper was now fairly aroused, and instead of +thanking her, he turned round and bestowed on her a lash with his whip, +which made her run off to call Mrs Vallery, thinking that his mamma +would be better able to manage him than she could. + +His gentle sister came in for the next assault of his blind rage, and +she fled with her doll, which she had snatched up in her arms, feeling +that the wisest thing just then to do was to get out of his way. + +Trusty, unaccustomed to the blows which Norman now liberally bestowed, +scampered off in one direction, while Thisbe the hen took to flight in +another, and the young gentleman remained as he believed himself the +victor of the field, shouting out:-- + +"I will have no one interfere with me, either maid-servants or dogs or +fowls: I will soon show who is master here!" and again he shouted and +bawled and waved his whip. + +Poor Fanny who had never before seen a person in a passion, stood by +trembling at a little distance while Master Norman walked up and down +shouting out that he would whip any one who came in his way, and that +the ugly dog would soon learn what to expect if he dared to bark at him +again. Fanny entreated him to be quiet. "I am sure Trusty had no wish +to frighten you, Norman," she said, "if you will keep your whip quiet +and call to him he will come up wagging his tail and soon be friends +with you." + +Norman, however, instead of doing as his sister advised, flourished his +whip more vehemently and shouted louder than ever, walking up and down +and trampling on the flowers which had been scattered on the ground. + +In the meantime Susan had reached the drawing-room where Mrs Vallery +was reclining on the sofa to rest after the fatigue of her journey. + +"Please marm," said Susan as she entered, "I am sorry to say that the +young gentleman is in such a tantrum that I do not know what to do with +him, and I am afraid he will make himself ill. He won't listen to his +sister or to me, but if you will just come and speak to him, perhaps he +will be quiet." + +"If you will excuse me, mamma, I will go to the poor child," said Mrs +Vallery rising. + +"Could you not let Susan bring him here? He of course will come if she +tells him that you have sent for him," observed Mrs Leslie. + +"I am afraid that he might refuse," answered Mrs Vallery, "he is not +always as obedient as I could desire." + +Mrs Vallery hurried out to Norman. + +"My dear child, what is the matter?" she exclaimed, as she saw him still +flourishing his whip and looking very angry and red in the face. + +"The hen flew at me, and the dog barked, and I threw the jar at their +heads, and Fanny has been scolding ever since, and I will not stand it," +shouted Norman. + +"Come in with me, my dear child," said Mrs Vallery soothingly. "I am +sure Fanny did not intend to scold you." + +"Indeed, I did not, mamma," cried Fanny, running up and kissing Norman. +"Trusty barked only in play, and I am sure would not hurt him for the +world. You must make friends with Trusty, Norman, and he will then do +anything you tell him, and will never bark at you again." + +At length Norman, becoming calmer, consented to accompany his mamma into +the house. Fanny ran upstairs and brought down one of the picture-books +with the pictures, in which she tried to amuse him by telling him +stories about them, for she found that he was unable to read the +descriptions which were placed below them, or on the opposite pages. + +At last she saw that he had fallen asleep in the arm-chair on which he +was seated, so she put a cushion under his head that he might rest more +comfortably, and finding that he was not likely to awake, she stole out +that she might gather some more flowers instead of those which had been +scattered on the ground when Norman broke the vase, and which he had +trampled on while he was angrily stamping about on the gravel walk. + +She watched for an opportunity while her papa was out of his room, and +placed the fresh bouquet on his mantelpiece. + +The day passed away without any other adventure, and as Norman having +slept but little on board the steamer was very tired, Mrs Vallery +carried him up to bed at an early hour. + +"Now, my dear child, kneel down and say your prayers," she said when she +had undressed him. + +"No, I won't!" answered Norman, "I am too tired, I want to go to sleep." + +His mamma knew that it would be useless to argue with him, so with a +sigh she placed him in his bed, and kneeling down, prayed that God would +change him, for her love did not prevent her from seeing that his +present heart was hard and bad, and that none of the qualities she +desired him to possess could spring out of it. + +She sat by his bedside till he was asleep, and then went back to Mrs +Leslie. + +Sweet Fanny felt sadly hurt and disappointed at the behaviour of her +young brother, whom she had naturally expected to find as loving, and +gentle, and ready to be pleased as she was. She consoled herself, +however, with the thought that he was tired and out of sorts after his +long journey, and hoped that the next day he would become more amiable +and more like what she had fancied him to be. + +Sleep soon visited her eyelids and as she was a brisk active little +girl, she was awake betimes. + +She had said her prayers and read a chapter in the Bible, which she did +every morning to herself, and was waiting for Susan to assist her in +putting on her frock when her mamma came into her room. + +"My dear Fanny, I shall be so much obliged to you if you will assist +Norman to dress; I am afraid that I shall be late for breakfast if I +attempt to do so, as he is apt to dawdle over the business when I go to +him," said Mrs Vallery, giving her a kiss and admiring her fresh and +blooming countenance. "He has been awake for some time, and as he does +not know how to amuse himself he may perhaps be doing some mischief," +she continued. "He misses his ayah, his native nurse, who declined +accompanying us farther than Alexandria, so you must be prepared to find +him a little troublesome, but I hope he will improve." + +"Oh, I shall be delighted, mamma, to help Norman, and I daresay I shall +have nothing to complain of," answered Fanny, and without waiting to put +on her frock she accompanied her mamma to the door of Norman's room. + +"You will be a good boy, and let Fanny help you dress, my dear," said +Mrs Vallery, putting in her head. + +Fanny entered as her mamma withdrew, and having kissed Norman, arranged +his clothes in readiness to put them on. She then poured out some water +for him to wash his face. + +"Shall I help you?" she asked, getting a towel ready. + +"No, I can do it myself," he answered, snatching the towel from her +hand. "I don't like to have my nose rubbed up the wrong way, and my +eyes filled with soapsuds. I can wash my face as much as it wants. It +isn't dirty, I should think," and dipping a corner of the towel in the +water he began to dab himself all over with it cautiously as if he was +afraid of rubbing off his skin. + +"There, that will do," he said, drying himself much in the same fashion. +"I am ready to put on my clothes." + +"But you have not washed your neck or shoulders at all," said Fanny, +"and if you will let me, and bend down your head over the basin, I will +pour the water upon it and give you a pleasant shower-bath this warm +morning." + +"I have washed enough, and do not intend to wash any more," answered +Norman in a determined tone. "Where is my vest?" + +Fanny, seeing that it would be useless to contend further on that point, +assisted him to dress, and buttoned or tied the clothes which required +buttoning or tying. When, however, she brought him his stockings, he +took it into his head that he would not put them on. + +"I can do very well without them," he exclaimed, throwing himself into +an arm-chair. + +"There, you stand by my side, and wait till I want you to help me, just +as my ayah used to do--the wicked old thing would not come on with us +because I one day spit at her and called her a name she did not like. I +can talk Hindostanee as well as English, I suppose you can't," and +Master Norman uttered some words which sounded in Fanny's ears very much +like gibberish. + +She waited patiently for some minutes, hoping that her brother would let +her finish his toilet. At last, knowing that it was nearly time for her +to go down and make the tea, she brought his stockings and attempted to +put one of them on. + +"I told you to wait till I was ready," he exclaimed, and as she +determined if possible on this occasion not to be defeated, stooped down +to draw on one of his stockings. He seized her by her hair, and began +belabouring her with the other which he had snatched out of her hand. + +Fanny, supposing him to be in play, persevered in her efforts, but he +continued to pull and pull at her hair, and to beat her about the +shoulders so vehemently that he began to hurt her very much. She at +first only laughed and cried out-- + +"Pray be quiet, Norman, I shall have the stocking on in a moment." + +But as her brother pulled more savagely, she could with difficulty help +shrieking from the pain he inflicted. + +"My dear Norman, do let go my hair," she exclaimed, "you are really +hurting me very much." + +"I know I am, and I intend to do so. I want to show you the way I +treated my ayah when she dared to do anything I did not like, and I do +not choose to let you meddle with my feet. When I want to put on my +stockings I will put them on myself," and Norman pulled and kicked and +struggled so much that Fanny thought it would be wiser to give up +attempting to draw on the stocking in the hopes that he would then +release her hair from the grasp of his fingers. He was, however, in one +of his evil moods, and, believing that he had gained a victory, instead +of acting the part of a generous conqueror, he cruelly continued to tug +at her hair till poor Fanny could no longer help shrieking out, "Let me +go! let me go, Norman!" + +She might, to be sure, have grasped his arms, and holding them have +released herself by force, but the idea of doing so did not enter her +gentle heart, for in the attempt she must have inflicted pain, and she +was ready to suffer anything rather than do that. + +Her shrieks brought Susan, who had come up to fasten her frock, into the +room, and she, not at all approving of the way her favourite, Miss +Fanny, was being treated, quickly grasped the young gentleman's wrists, +and made him open his fingers and release his sister's hair. + +"You naughty boy, how dare you behave in this way?" she exclaimed +indignantly, "I will take you to your mamma this moment if you do not +behave better, and do as you are told." + +"You had better not, or I will pull your hair, and make you wish you had +let me alone," exclaimed Norman, throwing himself back in the chair, and +holding on to its arms to prevent Susan from lifting him up. + +"Pray allow him to remain here, Susan, and I daresay he will let me +finish dressing him. He did not hurt me so very much, but I was +frightened, not expecting him to behave in that way, and so I could not +help crying out for a moment," said Fanny. "You will be good now, +Norman, won't you? and finish dressing, and be ready to go down to +breakfast." + +The young gentleman made no answer, but sat as if rooted in the chair, +looking defiantly at Susan and his sister. + +"I see what we must do, young gentleman," said Susan, who was a sensible +woman, possessing herself of the stockings which had fallen on the +ground, "we must put an end to this nonsense." + +Suddenly jerking up Master Norman, she seated herself in the chair, and +pressing down his arms so that he could not reach her, she quickly drew +on first one stocking and then the other. + +"Now, Miss Fanny, please hand me the shoes," and though Norman tried to +kick she held his little legs and put them on. + +"Now your hair must be put to rights, young gentleman. It is in a +pretty mess with your struggles. Hand me the brush please, Miss Fanny!" +and while she held down his arms, though he moved his head from side to +side, she managed dexterously to arrange his rich curly locks. + +"Has he washed his hands?" asked Susan. + +Fanny shook her head. + +"No, I have not, and I don't intend to do so," growled Norman. + +"We shall soon see that," cried Susan, dragging him to the basin; +"there, take care you don't upset it," and forcing his hands into the +water, she covered them well with soap. + +Norman was so astonished at the whole proceeding, that he forgot to +struggle, and only looked very red and angry. Susan made him rub his +hands together till all the soap was washed off, and then dried them +briskly with the towel. + +"There, we have finished the business for you, young gentleman," she +said, as she released the boy, of whom she had kept a firm hold all the +time. + +"Now, we will put on your jacket and handkerchief, and you will be ready +to go downstairs, but before you go just let me advise you not again to +beat your sister in the way you did just now, or I will not let you off +so easily." + +"Oh, pray do not be angry with him, Susan," said Fanny, "he will I hope +let me help him to dress to-morrow, and behave like a good boy." + +"No, I won't," growled Norman, "as soon as I see my papa I will tell him +how that horrid woman has treated me, and he will soon send her about +her business." + +Susan wisely did not reply to the last observation, but quietly made the +young gentleman put on his jacket, and then fastened his collar, and +tied his handkerchief round his neck. + +"There, you will do now," she said, surveying him with an expression in +which pity was mingled with admiration, for he was indeed a handsome +child, and she thought how grievous it would be that he should be spoilt +by being allowed to have his own way. She then, lifting him up, +suddenly placed him again in the chair and said, "Sit quiet, young +gentleman, and try and get cool and nice to go down, and see your +grandmamma. We are not accustomed to have angry faces in this house, +and what is more we won't have them." + +"Now come, Miss Fanny, I will help you to finish dressing." + +Saying this she signed to Fanny to go out of the room, and, closing the +door, locked the young gentleman in. + +As soon as she had put on Fanny's frock and shoes, and arranged her +hair, she went back to release Norman, whom she found still seated in +the chair, in sullen dignity, with the angry frown yet on his +countenance. + +Susan said nothing, but taking his hand led him down after Fanny, to the +door of the breakfast-room. He went in willingly enough, for he was +very hungry and wanted his breakfast, but the angry frown on his brow +had not vanished. + +"Good morning, my dear," said his grandmamma, who was already there, and +had just kissed Fanny, who sprang forward to meet her. + +Norman did not answer, but stood near the door, pouting his lips, while +he kept his fists doubled by his side. + +"What is the matter with him, my dear Fanny?" asked Mrs Leslie. + +His sister did not like to tell their grandmamma of his behaviour, so +instead of replying, she ran to him and tried to lead him forward. + +"I want my breakfast," muttered Norman. + +"You will have it directly your mamma comes down, and prayers are over," +said Mrs Leslie quietly. "Come my dear, and give me a kiss, as your +sister does every morning, you know that you are my grandchild as well +as she is, and that I wish to love you as I do her." + +"I don't care about that, I want my breakfast," exclaimed Norman, +breaking away from Fanny, and going towards the table, to help himself +to some rolls he saw on it. + +Fanny greatly ashamed at his behaviour, again endeavoured to lead him up +to his grandmamma, but he, tearing his hands from hers, kicked out at +her, and ran back to the table. + +Just then Mrs Vallery entered the room and affectionately embracing her +mother, drew her attention for a moment away from her grandchild. +Norman took the opportunity of seizing one of the rolls, which he began +stuffing into his mouth. His mother, though she saw him, and felt +somewhat ashamed of his behaviour made no remark, for she knew what the +consequences would be should she interfere. + +"I am so much obliged to you, Fanny," she said, "for dressing your +brother. I hope he behaved well." + +Fanny would not tell an untruth, but she did not wish to complain of +Norman, so she hung down her head, as if she herself had done something +wrong. + +Mrs Leslie suspected that Norman had not behaved well, but she remained +silent on the subject as Mrs Vallery did not repeat the question. + +Fanny, having made the tea, rang the bell and the servants, as usual, +came in to prayers. Norman not being interfered with, kept munching +away at the hot roll, and did not relinquish it when his mamma took him +up, and placed him on a chair by her side. All the time Mrs Leslie was +reading the sound of his biting the crisp crust was heard, while he sat +casting a look of defiance at Susan, whose eye he saw was resting on +him. + +When they were seated at the table, Mrs Vallery apologised to his +grandmamma for his conduct, observing that he was very hungry, as he was +accustomed to have his breakfast as soon as he was up. + +"We must let Susan give it him, then, another morning," observed Mrs +Leslie; "she will, I am sure, be very glad to attend to him in her +room." + +"I won't eat anything that woman gives me," growled Norman, looking up +from the roll and pat of fresh butter which his mamma had given him; +"she is a nasty old thing; and if she tries to put on my stockings and +wash my hands again, I will beat her as I did my ayah, and will soon +show her who is master." + +"I thought you dressed your brother this morning, Fanny," observed Mrs +Vallery. + +"So I did, mamma, but Susan came in to help me, though I hope to-morrow +Norman will let me dress him entirely," answered Fanny, determined if +possible not to speak of her brother's misconduct, and hoping by +loving-kindness to overcome his evil temper. + +Mrs Leslie wondered how a child of her gentle daughter's could behave +as Norman was doing. + +"You will arrange about his breakfast as you think best, Mary," she +said; "but I hope that if Susan is kind enough to attend to him, he will +be grateful to her. She is a faithful and excellent servant, and, of +course, will expect to be obeyed and treated with respect by a little +boy." + +A peculiar shake of the head which Norman gave, showed that he had no +intention of following his grandmamma's wishes. + +Captain Vallery coming in, no further remark on the subject was made. + +Having saluted his mother-in-law and daughter, and given Norman an +affectionate pat on the head, he sat down to breakfast. Fanny having +given him a cup of tea, and helped him to an egg and toast, and offered +him other things on the table, he began to talk in his usual animated +way, so that Norman, who wanted to make a complaint against Susan in his +presence, was unable to get in a word. Fanny, who, guessing his +intentions, was on the watch, whenever she saw that he was about to +speak offered him a little more bread, or honey, or milk, anxiously +endeavouring to prevent him saying anything which she considered would +bring disgrace upon himself, by making his misconduct known. Happily +for her affectionate design, Captain Vallery had to go up to London, and +as soon as breakfast was over, kissing her and Norman, without listening +to the mutterings of the latter, he hurried off to catch the train. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +IN PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE. + +A lady came every morning to teach Fanny, but Mrs Leslie had begged +that she might have a holiday in consequence of her papa's and mamma's +arrival, and that she might have more time to play with her little +brother. + +Fanny had been anxiously considering how she could best amuse him. + +"What should you like to do, Norman?" she asked, putting her arm +affectionately round his neck. "You see I am a girl, and perhaps I may +like many things that you will not care about. Let me consider. We can +arrange my doll's house, or we can play at paying visits; and I have two +battledores and a shuttlecock, which I will teach you how to use; and +then you must come out and help me to feed my chickens. I have also a +garden of my own, and I am sure granny will let you have a piece of +ground near it, or else you shall have part of mine, and you can learn +how to keep it neat and pretty. And whenever you like you can have a +game at romps with Trusty. You must make friends with him to-day; and +if you call him by his name and give him a piece of meat, which I will +get from the cook for you, and pat his head, he will soon learn to know +you. But you must not frighten him with your whip, or he will run away +from you. He used to be beaten when he was naughty, but then he was a +little puppy, and did not know better; but now he never does anything +wrong, and if he was ever so hungry, and was told to guard the things in +the larder, or on the dining-room table, from the cat, he would not +touch the nicest dish himself, and would take care that neither the cat +nor any other dog came near them." + +"I do not care about any of the things you speak of," answered Norman. +"I want my whip, and I think Susan has hid it for fear I should beat +her, and I intend to do so if she dares to treat me like a baby. I will +beat Trusty too, if he barks at me--you'll see if I don't--and he will +soon find out who is master. I am a brave boy, papa says so, and I want +to be a man as soon as I can." + +"But brave and good boys do not beat either women or dogs, and I hope +you wish to be good as well as brave," said Fanny gently. + +"So I am, when I have my own way," exclaimed Norman, "and my own way I +intend to have that I can tell you. Now, Fanny, go and find my whip, or +make Susan give it to you if she has got it, and if she will not, tell +her that my papa will make her when he comes home." + +Fanny, wishing to please her brother, and not believing that he would +really make a bad use of his whip, hunted about for it, but in vain. +She then went and asked Susan if she had got it. + +Susan replied that she knew nothing about the whip, and had last seen it +by the side of the young gentleman when he had fallen asleep in the +arm-chair. + +On hearing this, Norman marched into the drawing-room, expecting to find +his whip in the place where he was supposed to have left it, but it was +not there. He searched about in all directions, as Fanny had done in +vain. He saw his grandmamma following him with her eyes, but he could +not bring himself to ask her if she knew where his whip was, and she did +not speak to him. At last, losing patience, he ran out of the room, and +joined Fanny in the garden. + +"Somebody has my whip, and I will find out who it is," he muttered +angrily, "I am not going to have my things taken away. But I say, +Fanny, cannot you come out with me and buy another, I must have one just +like the last, and I will try it on Trusty's back if he comes barking at +me again." + +"I cannot possibly take you out without granny's or mamma's leave, and +you must not think of buying another whip to beat Trusty, I had just +been thinking of asking cook to give you some small pieces of meat, and +I will go at once and get them, then you must call Trusty, and when he +comes to you, you must give him a piece at a time and pat his head and +he will wag his tail, and you will be friends with him in a few +minutes." + +"I would rather not have him come near me unless I have my whip to beat +him if he tries to bite me," said Norman. + +"Oh, he will not bite you," answered Fanny, and she ran to the kitchen +where she got some bits of meat from the cook and brought them to her +brother. + +She soon found Trusty who was lying down on the rug in the dining-room, +and followed her out into the garden. + +"Call Trusty, Trusty, and show him a piece of meat," she cried to her +brother. + +Norman with some hesitation in his tone called to the dog as Fanny bade +him, and Trusty ran up wagging his tail. Instead of holding the meat +and letting Trusty take it, which he would have done gently, Norman +nervously threw the meat towards him, Trusty caught it, and putting up +his nose and wagging his tail drew nearer; Norman instead of giving a +piece at a time as Fanny had told him to do, fancying that the dog was +going to snatch it from him, threw the whole handful on the ground and +retreated several paces. Trusty began quickly to gobble up the meat. + +"Oh, you should have given him bit by bit," said Fanny. + +As soon as Trusty had finished he ran forward expecting to get some +more, when Norman fancying that the dog was going to bite him, took to +his heels and ran off screaming, while Trusty bounded playfully after +him thinking that he was running, as Fanny often did, to amuse him. + +"Stop the horrid dog! he is going to kill me, stop him, stop him!" +screamed Norman as he ran towards the house. + +In vain Fanny called to Trusty and ran to catch him, he kept leaping up, +however, hoping to get some more meat from the little boy who had, as he +fancied, treated him so generously. + +The cries of Norman brought out his mamma. + +"The naughty dog is going to bite me, and Fanny is encouraging him. +Save me, mamma, save me!" he exclaimed, as he threw himself into Mrs +Vallery's arms. + +"Fanny, what is the matter," she asked, "it is very naughty of you to +let the dog frighten your little brother." + +Sweet gentle Fanny feeling how innocent she was of any such intention +burst into tears. + +"Indeed, dear mamma, I only tried to get Norman to play with Trusty and +to make friends with him, I did not for a moment think he would be +frightened," and she ran forward and tried to kiss her brother in order +to soothe him, but he now believed himself safe from the dog, who +sagaciously perceiving that something was wrong had stopped jumping, and +lay quietly on the ground, and as she approached he received her with a +box on the ears. + +"Take that for setting the dog at me," he exclaimed maliciously. + +Fanny stood hanging down her head as if she had been guilty, but really +feeling ashamed of her brother's behaviour. + +"That was very naughty of you, Norman," said Mrs Vallery, holding back +the young tyrant, who was endeavouring again to strike his sister. + +She then carried him into the drawing-room; Fanny followed her without a +thought of vindicating herself, but wished to try and calm her young +brother and to assure him that Trusty was only in play. + +His mamma sat down with him on her knee. Mrs Leslie inquired whether +he had hurt himself. + +"He has been frightened by the dog, and says that Fanny set the animal +at him," answered Mrs Vallery. + +"That is impossible," observed Mrs Leslie, "Fanny could not have done +anything of the sort." + +"She is a cruel thing, and wants the dog to bite me," growled out Norman +in a whining tone, still half crying. + +"I will answer for it that Fanny is much more likely to have tried to +prevent the dog from frightening you, for I am sure that he would not +bite you. Come here, Fanny, I know that you will speak the truth." + +Fanny felt grateful to her grandmamma for her remark, and explained +exactly what had occurred. + +Mrs Vallery was convinced that she was innocent, and Norman was at last +persuaded to return with her into the garden. Fanny talked to him +gently, and tried to make him forget his fright. + +"Come to the tool-house where I keep my spade and hoe and rake. There +is a little spade which I used to use, it will just suit you, and we +will go and arrange the garden you are to have," she said as they went +along. + +"That is an old thing you have done with," growled Norman scornfully, as +she gave him the little spade, "I must have a new one of my own." + +"I hope papa will give you one," she answered quietly, "but in the +meantime will you not use this?" + +Norman took it, eyeing it disdainfully, but Fanny, making no remark, led +the way to the plot of ground the gardener had laid out for them. One +part of it was full of summer flowers, the other half she had left +uncultivated that Norman might have the pleasure of digging it up and +putting in seeds and plants. + +"You have taken good care to make your own garden look pretty," he +observed, as he eyed her portion of the plot. "What am I to do with +that bare place?" + +Fanny told him what her object had been, and offered to help him. She +had got several pots with nice plants, which there was still time to put +in, and a number of seeds of autumn flowers. These she promised to give +to him as soon as the ground was fit for their reception. She began +digging away in her usual energetic manner, and he for a time tried to +imitate her, but he soon grew tired. + +"There, you can dig away by yourself," he said, "just as the natives do +in India in the plantations, and I will look on like an owner, and watch +that you do your work properly," and he leant back with his arms folded, +as he thought, in a very dignified way. + +Fanny dug on for some time. At last she stopped and said, laughing-- + +"Now it is your turn to work, and mine to watch you." + +"I do not want to dig," he answered, "I am going to be an officer like +papa, and have others to obey me." + +Just then the gardener came by, and seeing Fanny digging away and making +herself very hot, promised her that in the evening he would put the +ground to rights. As she found that Norman was not disposed to garden, +she invited him to have a game of battledore and shuttlecock on the +lawn. + +They had played for half-an-hour, and he seemed to be more amused than +he had been with anything else. While they were in the garden Mrs +Vallery had been unpacking her trunks, and wishing to show Fanny a dress +she had brought from Paris for her, called her in. Norman said he would +remain out and play by himself. + +Some time was occupied in admiring the beautiful frock and in trying on +some boots and other things. How grateful did she feel to her mamma as +she kissed her again and again, and thanked her for bringing her so many +pretty things. Though she would have liked to have stopped and admired +them again and again, she did not forget Norman. + +"I am afraid he will be growing dull by himself, mamma," she said, "I +will go out and try to amuse him. I see that he has gone away from the +lawn and has left the battledore on the grass." + +Fanny, putting on her bonnet, went out to look for Norman. To her +surprise, after searching about for some time, she saw him digging, as +she thought, on his plot of ground. + +"Oh, I am so glad that he is trying to amuse himself in that way," she +said to herself, "he will now learn to like gardening, I hope." + +On reaching the spot, however, she stood aghast, for Norman, instead of +working in his own part of the ground, was digging away in hers, and had +already uprooted nearly all her beautiful flowers. + +"I am going to put them into my ground," he said, when he caught sight +of her, "I do not see why you should have them all to yourself." + +"But, my dear Norman, they will not bear transplanting," she answered, +almost bursting into tears, as she surveyed the havoc he had committed, +for many of her flowers were not only dug up, but broken and trampled +on, and it was evident that he intended rather to destroy than remove +them. + +"Oh, do stop, Norman!" she cried out, "the gardener promised, you know, +to put some flowers into your garden, and he knows how to do it +properly." + +"He may do as he likes," said Norman, throwing down his spade; "I have +taught you a lesson, Miss Selfish, your garden is not much better than +mine now." + +Fanny could no longer restrain her tears. + +"O Norman!" she exclaimed, "it was not from selfishness I did not plant +your garden, but I thought you would like to do it yourself, and that +you would find pleasure in seeing flowers spring up which you had put +in. Indeed, indeed, Norman, you accuse me wrongfully." + +"Well, at all events, we are even now," growled out the boy, walking up +and down, and it is to be hoped feeling somewhat ashamed of himself, as +he surveyed the mischief he had done. + +"Granny and mamma will be so angry with him if they see it," thought +Fanny, "I must try to put it to rights as far as I can," and while +Norman stood by with an angry frown on his brow, she began to replace +some of the least injured plants. While she was thus employed, Susan +came to tell her and her brother that it was time to get ready for +dinner, for Fanny in her agitation had not even heard the gong sound. + +"Why, Miss Fanny, what has happened to your garden?" exclaimed Susan. + +Fanny never told an untruth, but she was very anxious to shield her +brother, for she knew how angry Susan would be with him if she +discovered what he had done. + +"Pray do not ask me, Susan," she answered, "John promised to put +Norman's garden to rights this evening, and I daresay he will do mine at +the same time, until after that we had better not look at it." + +Susan guessed pretty correctly what had happened, but as Fanny had +begged her not to ask questions, she refrained for her sake from doing +so. + +Fanny was going up to Norman to lead him towards the house, but he hung +back, so Susan took him by the arm. + +"Come along, young gentleman," she said in the stern voice she knew how +to assume, "you will require to wash your hands well after your +gardening," and she pointed back at the ground he had upturned. "Are +you not ashamed of yourself?" she whispered. Fanny had run on a little +way lest Susan should again ask questions. "If you are not ashamed you +ought to be," continued Susan, "your sweet sister is an angel, and I +should like you just to ask yourself what you are." + +Norman though he threatened Susan behind her back stood in considerable +awe of her in her presence, he therefore did not venture to reply, but +as he hung somewhat behind her as she led him on, he made faces at her, +which he knew she could not see. + +Having washed his hands and brushed his hair she conducted him to the +dining-room. + +"Many a worse boy deserves his dinner more than you do," she whispered, +stopping before she took him in. "Eat yours with what appetite you can, +but let me advise you to try and be sorry for the ungrateful way you +have treated your sister, who has been so kind to you since you came +into the house." + +Norman snatched his hand away from her, and with a glum countenance +entered the dining-room. Walking up to the table he took his seat +eyeing Fanny, who he suspected, judging by himself, had been telling +their grandmamma and mamma what he had done. She, however, had not said +a word about the matter. They were merely looking at him, wondering +what made his countenance so sullen. + +"I hope you have had a happy morning, Norman," said his grandmamma, as +she offered him some minced beef. + +He made no reply. + +"My dear, pray answer your grandmamma," said Mrs Vallery, for she had +been directed never to order Norman to do anything. + +Still he did not speak. + +"My dear child do let me entreat you to make use of your tongue, your +grandmamma spoke to you and asked if you had had a happy morning." + +"I never am happy, and am not likely to be with no one to try and amuse +me," growled out Norman. + +"I am sure that your sister wishes to amuse you," observed Mrs Leslie, +"and I shall be very glad to read to you, or to tell you stories such as +I used to tell Fanny, when she was of your age, if you will come and sit +by me and listen." + +"She is only a girl, and you are an old woman," muttered Norman +shovelling the mince meat into his mouth. "I want boys to play with +me." + +"You will find plenty of boys to play with when you go to school, where +I hope your papa will soon send you," observed Mrs Leslie, "but you +will find that they do not treat you in the gentle way your sister does, +and perhaps you will often wish that you had her again as a playmate." + +"We must have another game of battledore and shuttlecock on the lawn +after dinner," said Fanny, "you seem to like that, and on one side it +will be pleasant and shady." + +Norman finding that Fanny had not complained of the way he had treated +her garden, became more amiable and agreed to her proposal. + +Before going out, however, she persuaded him to sit quiet and listen to +a story, which she told him out of one of her picture-books. + +The children were playing on the lawn, when Captain Vallery appeared +followed by a man carrying a large parcel. Norman went on throwing up +the shuttlecock, but Fanny ran to her papa to welcome him with a kiss. + +"I have got something for you both, will you like to come in and see the +parcel opened," he said taking it from the man and going into the house. + +Hearing his papa's remark Norman followed him and Fanny, eager to learn +what the parcel contained. Captain Vallery had placed it on a chair. +While he was speaking to his wife and Mrs Leslie, Norman ran up to it, +and although he had not even spoken to his papa, began pulling away at +the string. + +"Ah, he is a zealous little fellow, he wishes to save me trouble," +observed Captain Vallery, and Fanny hoped that such was the motive which +prompted Norman, though she wished he had shown greater pleasure at +seeing their papa come back. + +Mrs Vallery at her husband's request now opened the parcel, which +Norman notwithstanding his efforts had been unable to do. Among other +articles which he had brought for her and Mrs Leslie, she drew out a +long parcel carefully done up in silver paper. + +"This I think must be for Fanny," she said. + +Fanny, her countenance beaming with pleasure, carefully unwrapped the +parcel, and exhibited a beautiful doll with a wax head and shoulders and +wax hands looking exactly, she thought, as if they were real flesh. + +"Oh, thank you, papa, thank you," she exclaimed running up and kissing +him. "Look granny! look mamma! see what a lovely little girl she is, +with such fair soft hair and such blue bright eyes, she must surely be +able to see out of them." + +Mrs Leslie and her mamma admired the doll, which was indeed a very +handsome one, and very superior to poor Nancy. + +"There, Norman, you will not be ashamed to walk out with her, I am +sure," she said. "But I hope Nancy will not think that she will make me +forget her, for I should not like to hurt her feelings. What name shall +we give her? for she would not like to be called `The New Doll,' shall +it be Emma or Julia or Lucy? I think Lucy is a very pretty name--shall +she be called Lucy, granny? Norman do you like that name? it sounds so +soft and so nice for a young lady doll as she is." + +Norman had been eyeing the doll with no pleasant feelings; he did not +like that his sister should receive a present when he thought that there +was none for him. + +"You may call her Lucy, or whatever you fancy," he answered gruffly, +"boys like me do not care for dolls." + +"He is a fine, manly, little fellow," observed Captain Vallery. "I have +not forgotten you, though, Norman. Perhaps mamma will find something +more to your taste in that large, round parcel," and Mrs Vallery drew +out the package at which her husband pointed. + +"There, Norman, that is the sort of thing a boy likes," said the +Captain, handing it to him. + +Norman snatched at it eagerly, and, with the assistance of his papa, +tore off the paper, and found within an enormous football covered with +leather, which he could just manage to grasp with his arms. + +"There, you will be able to play with that famously on the lawn," said +Captain Vallery, "and I must come out and join you. I used to be very +fond of football when I was at school, and we must have some fine games +together." + +Norman, instead of thanking his papa, hugged the football and made +towards the door, eager to go out on the lawn and kick it about. At the +same time, he looked with a jealous eye at Fanny's beautiful doll, which +she was fondly caressing. Though he had declared that he did not care +for dolls, he could not help thinking it prettier than his own great, +brown ball, and, as he had never been taught to restrain any of the evil +feelings which rose in his heart, he at once began to be jealous of his +sister, because the present she had received was of more value than his. +Still, he thought he should like to have a game with his ball, which, +his papa told him, he was to kick from one end of the lawn to the other. +Getting his hat, therefore, he told Fanny she must leave her doll, and +come and play with him. + +Fanny, ever anxious to please her brother, though longing to take Miss +Lucy upstairs and introduce her to Nancy and to her doll's house, at +once consented to go out with him into the garden. Placing her doll, +therefore, carefully in her own little chair, and telling her she must +sit very patiently and be a good girl till she came back, she put on her +hat, which hung up in the hall, and ran out into the garden. + +Norman had already put the ball on the grass, and had begun to kick at +it. He kicked and kicked away utterly regardless of his sister, and +when she attempted to join him, he told her to wait till he was tired. + +"But papa said you were to kick it from one side, and I was to kick it +from the other," she observed, "so we ought both to play at the same +time." + +Norman at last allowed her to kick the ball, and was angry because she +sent it away from him, and he had to run after it before he could get +another kick. Still, Fanny did not remonstrate, and tried to send the +ball so that Norman could easily reach it. + +At last Captain Vallery came out. + +"I am glad to see you play so nicely together," he said; "pray go on." + +"Oh do, papa, take my place," exclaimed Fanny, "it will be much better +fun for Norman, and you will show him how to play." + +Captain Vallery accordingly kicked the ball, and sent it flying high up +into the air. Norman shouted with delight. + +"That's much better than Fanny can do," he exclaimed, as his papa sent +the ball up several times. + +"What makes it fly up like that?" + +"My feet, in the first place; but as it is filled with wind, it is very +light, and rises easily," answered the Captain. "You, in time, will be +able to make it fly as high." + +"I should like to see the wind in it," said Norman; and his papa laughed +at his remark, which he thought very witty. + +They continued playing for some time; Captain Vallery, proud of having a +son to instruct, showing Norman how to kick the ball, and explaining the +way in which real football is played by big boys. + +"I wish I was a big boy, and I soon shall be, I hope, for then I shall +have some one else besides a stupid girl to play with," exclaimed +Norman. "I would rather have her than you, though, because you kick the +ball about more than I like, and I want to kick it all by myself." + +"You are an independent little fellow," observed his father approvingly, +instead of rebuking him for his rude remark. + +Captain Vallery stood by, allowing Norman to kick the ball backwards and +forwards, which he did for some time, declaring on each occasion that if +it reached either one side of the shrubbery or the other he had won the +game--not a very difficult matter, considering that he had no one to +oppose him. + +At length, the gong sounding, Captain Vallery went in to dress for +dinner, and Norman was left to play by himself, for, Fanny finding she +was not wanted, had entered the house, and, after exhibiting her doll to +Susan, had gone to her room to introduce Miss Lucy to Nancy and to her +future abode. + +Norman soon grew weary of being by himself, and with his big ball in his +arms, wandered into the house. Making his way into the drawing-room, he +there found among a number of Indian curiosities which had just been +unpacked, and which his papa intended to hang up against the wall, a +long knife. Though Norman was very forward in some things, and could +talk better than many boys older than he was, yet he was very ignorant +in others, but of that, like many more ignorant people, he was not +aware. "I should like to see the wind papa told me was inside this big +ball," he said to himself; "perhaps there is something else besides +wind, it feels pretty soft--I daresay I could easily cut it open with +this knife and see." He took the knife and examined it, "I must not do +it here though, or they may be coming downstairs and stop me," so +tucking the knife under one arm, and holding the big ball in the other, +he went along the passage and out at the garden door. He at first +proposed going to the further end of the garden, where he need have no +fear of being interrupted, then he recollected his performance of the +morning, and thought that the gardener might be there, and would scold +him for digging up Fanny's plants, so instead of going there, he made +his way along the side of the house, till he reached another door, which +led to the larder. + +"The cook won't be coming in here at this hour, as she is serving up the +dinner, so I shall have the place all to myself!" he observed, thinking +how clever he was. + +He accordingly went in and closed the door. + +"Now I shall soon find out what is inside my ball," he said chuckling +and placing it on the ground. Putting one foot on it, to hold it +steady, he began cutting away with the huge knife. The part of the +weapon he used was not very sharp, and as the leather yielded, he at +first made no impression; at last he made a dig at the ball with the +point of the knife, which quickly penetrated it, producing a wide gash. +Out rushed the wind faster and faster, as he pressed down his foot, till +the coating of leather and the thin bladder inside had become perfectly +flat. He took it up wondering at the result, and shook it and told it +to get fat again, but all to no purpose. He felt very much inclined to +cry, when somehow or other he discovered, that he had done a very +foolish thing, but he was not accustomed to blame himself. + +"Papa ought to have brought me a different sort of ball, which would not +grow thin just because I happen to stick a knife into it," he muttered +to himself. + +Again he threw down what had once been a ball, and stamped on it, and +abused it for not doing as he told it. At last he began to think that +the knife, which he supposed was his grandmamma's, might be missed and +that she would scold him for carrying it away. Taking up the leather +therefore, and finding that no one was near, he returned. On his way +seeing a thick bush, he threw the case into it--for he was somewhat +ashamed of letting his father know the folly of which he had been +guilty. + +As no one had yet come down, he replaced the knife among the articles +from which he had taken it, and ran up to his room. When he came back +he found Fanny in the drawing-room reading, she told him that their +granny and papa and mamma had gone in to dinner. + +"Cannot you do something to amuse me?" he asked. + +"Willingly," she answered, putting aside her own book, and she read some +stories to him out of one of the picture-books. + +Susan came shortly to call the children to their tea, and they then went +down to dessert in the dining-room. + +"Well, my boy, are you inclined to have another game at football before +you go to bed?" asked Captain Vallery. + +"No," answered Norman, not liking the question, "I do not want to play +any more to-day." + +"I thought you seemed so pleased with your football, that you would +never get tired of it," observed Mrs Vallery. + +Norman made no answer. + +The ladies rose from the table, and Captain Vallery soon joined them in +the drawing-room, they then strolled out on to the lawn to enjoy the +cool air of that lovely summer evening. + +"Go and get your football, Norman," said Captain Vallery, "though you do +not wish to play, I shall enjoy kicking it about to remind me of my +schoolboy days." + +Norman did not move. + +"Go and get it, my dear, as your papa tells you," said Mrs Leslie, +vexed at her grandson's disobedience. + +"I will go and get it--where did you leave it, Norman," said Fanny. + +"I do not know," he answered. + +"I daresay I shall find it," said Fanny, supposing that her brother had +left it in his room, or else in the hall. + +She soon came back saying that she had hunted everywhere, but could not +find it. + +"I suppose the somebody who stole my whip, has taken that," growled +Norman. + +"My dear, no one in this house would I am sure steal anything," said +Mrs Leslie, "but a friend, who considered that you would make a bad use +of your whip, has undoubtedly put it out of your way. Do not let me +bear you make that remark again." + +"There are thieves everywhere," muttered Norman. + +At that moment, Trusty was seen coming along one of the walks, dragging +something brown, and tossing it playfully about. On he came till he +reached the lawn. + +"Why, Norman, I believe the dog has got your football, though he has +managed to let the wind out of it," exclaimed Captain Vallery. + +"Oh, the thief, beat him, papa!" cried Norman. + +"Oh, pray not!" exclaimed Fanny, "I am sure Trusty did not intend to +hurt Norman's ball," cried Fanny, running forward and catching Trusty. +"Give it up, sir, give it up, you do not know the mischief you have +done," she added. + +"Oh, but he must have stolen it, and see he has made a great hole in it +with his teeth!" exclaimed Norman. + +Captain Vallery took up the football and examined it. + +"The dog did not do this," he said, pointing to the slit in the leather. +"This was done by a sharp knife; we must not wrongfully accuse the dog, +he must have found it in this condition; somebody else cut the hole." + +Norman grew very red; his papa looked at him. + +"I suspect somebody wanted to see the wind which I told him was within +it," he observed. + +Norman grew redder still. + +"I thought so," said Captain Vallery. "Did you cut the hole in your +ball, Norman?" he asked sternly. + +"I wanted to see the wind in it," murmured Norman. + +Now Captain Vallery, though he held some wrong ideas about education, +was a highly honourable man, and as every honourable man must do, he +hated a falsehood, or any approach to a falsehood. He considered that +what some people call white lies are black notwithstanding, and he knew +in his heart that God hates them. + +"Why did you say, then, that the dog had torn your ball, when you knew +that you yourself cut it?" he asked. "I have never before punished you, +but I intend to do so. I will not have a son of mine become a liar." + +"My dear," he said, turning to his wife, "take Norman in and put him to +bed. I cannot look at him any more to-night." + +Mrs Vallery took Norman by the hand and led him into the house. + +Mrs Leslie said nothing, but she was glad to find that her son-in-law +considered it necessary to try and put a stop to one of the bad ways of +his son. Perhaps he might in time find out that there were other bad +ways of his which it would be as well to check. + +Captain Vallery walked up and down on the lawn by himself for some time, +considering how he should treat his son, and he began to reflect whether +after all his system of allowing a boy to have his own way was likely to +prove the best. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +CAN YOU FORGIVE IT? + +Next morning, when Norman came down to breakfast, his papa, instead of +playfully addressing him, turned away his head and took no notice of his +presence. Norman ate his breakfast in silence. Fanny looked very sad, +she felt that her brother deserved punishment, and that it might teach +him the necessity of speaking the truth. Still she could not bear the +thoughts of her young brother being beaten, and from what her papa had +said she believed he intended to do so. Her grandmamma had quoted the +proverb of Solomon, "He that spareth the rod hateth his son, but he that +loveth him chasteneth him betimes." + +"You are right, Mrs Leslie," her papa had remarked, "I acknowledge the +wisdom of the great king, and must follow his advice." + +After breakfast Fanny's governess arrived, and Captain Vallery took his +son up into his room. What happened there Norman did not divulge, but +he looked very crestfallen during the rest of the morning. When he met +Fanny afterwards he told her that he did not intend to tell any more +lies. + +"I hope you will not do so," said Fanny, "remember that God hates them +even more than papa or anybody else can do, and He knows when you tell +an untruth, although no human being may find it out." + +After dinner Norman appeared to have recovered his spirits, and Fanny +took him out to play battledore and shuttlecock. + +They were beginning to get tired, when Mrs Leslie and their mamma came +out. + +"Come and walk with us, my dears," said Mrs Leslie, "I want to show +your mamma the pretty garden you have cultivated so nicely, Fanny." + +Fanny would thankfully have prevented them from seeing her garden, for +she knew that the way Norman had treated it would be discovered. Still +she could not think how to avoid going, and she could only hope that the +gardener had put it to rights, as he had promised to do. + +Mrs Leslie, wishing to gain her grandson's confidence, called to him, +and taking his hand, led him on talking to him kindly; Fanny and her +mamma followed at a little distance. + +Mrs Vallery interested Fanny by giving her accounts of India, but she +was so anxious about her garden and the vexation her granny would feel +at seeing it destroyed, that she could not listen as attentively as she +otherwise would have done. She saw that Norman was walking on very +unwillingly, and from time to time making an effort to escape, but his +grandmamma had no intention of letting him go. + +At length Mrs Leslie and Norman reached Fanny's garden. + +"Why, my dear, what changes you have made!" she exclaimed, "and I see +you have dug up nearly half of it." + +Fanny ran forward. The gardener had begun to set it to rights, but had +evidently been prevented from finishing the work. The two spades were +stuck in the ground where Fanny and Norman had left them. + +Fanny said nothing, she hoped that her brother would manfully confess +what he had done, that she might then be better able to plead for him. +Instead of doing so he snatched his hand away from that of his +grandmamma and ran off along the walk. Fanny had then most reluctantly +to confess that her brother had dug up her garden. + +"Do not be angry with him, granny," she said, "he is very very young, +and he thought I had ill-treated him by not making his garden as nice as +mine was. He did not understand that I fancied he would like to arrange +it himself, but John has promised to put it in order, and I hope +to-morrow that mine will be as nice as ever, and that Norman's will be +like it, so pray say no more to him about it." + +"I will do as you wish, Fanny," answered Mrs Leslie, "but I cannot +allow your brother, young as he is, to behave in the same way again." + +Mrs Vallery was greatly grieved at discovering what Norman had done, at +the same time she was much pleased to hear the way Fanny pleaded for her +young brother, and she could not resist stooping down and kissing her +again and again while the tears came into her eyes. + +"O mother! you have indeed made her all I can wish," she said, turning +to Mrs Leslie. + +"Not I, my dear Mary, I did but what God tells us to do in His Word; I +corrected her faults as I discovered them, and have ever sought guidance +from Him. But His Holy Spirit has done the work which no human person +could accomplish." + +Norman, conscience-stricken, had hidden himself in the shrubbery. The +rest of the party supposing that he had run into the house, continued +their walk, and after taking a few turns in the shady avenue they went +in-doors. + +Mrs Norton, Fanny's governess, having just then arrived she set to work +on her lessons, while her mamma and Mrs Leslie went to the +drawing-room. + +"I am afraid, mamma, that you must think Norman a very naughty boy," +said Mrs Vallery, "I have spoken to him very often about his conduct, +and as yet I see no improvement." + +"I have hopes that he will at all events learn that he must not tell +stories," observed Mrs Leslie, "and if your husband takes the same +means that he did this morning to teach him what is wrong he will by +degrees learn what he must not do. It is far more difficult to teach a +child what it ought to do, though I trust the good example set by our +dear Fanny will have its due effect, while we must continue to pray +without ceasing that the heart of your child may be changed." + +"I fear he has a very bad heart now," sighed Mrs Vallery, "I am always +in dread that he should do something wrong." + +"All children have bad seeds in their hearts, and it is our duty by +constant and careful weeding to root them out, and to impress also on +the child from its earliest days the necessity of endeavouring to do so +likewise. The child is not excused as it gains strength and knowledge +if it does not perform its own part in the work," observed Mrs Leslie. +"We justly believe our Fanny to be sweet and charming, but she is well +aware of this, and is ever on the watch to overcome the evil she +discovers within herself. Depend upon it, did she not do so she would +not be the delightful creature we think her." + +"Could Fanny possibly have been otherwise than delightful?" said Mrs +Vallery. + +"Not only possibly, but very probably so, although we, blinded by our +love might have overlooked the faults of which she would certainly have +been guilty," answered Mrs Leslie. "One of the chief lessons we should +endeavour to impress on young people is the importance of keeping a +strict watch over their mind and temper, of putting away every bad +thought the instant it comes into the mind, and to suppress at once the +rising of bad temper, envy, hatred, and all other evil feelings, while +we teach them that Satan, like a roaring lion, is always going about +seeking whom he may devour, although the aid of the Holy Spirit will +never be sought in vain to drive him away." + +While this conversation was going on between his grandmamma and mamma in +the drawing-room Norman remained in the shrubbery. He was afraid to +come out, supposing that his mamma was looking for him, and that he +would be punished for destroying his sister's garden, as he had been in +the morning for telling a falsehood. Growing weary he at length crept +out, and hearing and seeing no one, thought he might venture into the +open garden. He soon became tired of being by himself, and wished that +Fanny would come out and play with him, then he felt angry with her +because she did not, though he well knew that she was attending to her +lessons. + +At last as he wandered about his eyes fell on the covering of his +football. + +"That's what my fine present has come to," he muttered, "and she has got +a beautiful doll all to herself; I do not see why she should be better +off than I am. I wonder if anybody could make my ball round again." + +He took it up. + +"Perhaps the cook or John can." + +He carried the leathern case in to the cook. + +"Make your ball round again Master Norman!" she exclaimed, "it would be +a hard job to do that, with the big slit which I see in it. You must +get a fresh bladder of the proper size, and then perhaps we may be able +to mend the leather case." + +"Can you get me a bladder?" asked Norman. + +"A bladder costs money! You must ask your papa to get one for you," +answered the cook, who was not particularly willing to oblige him for +the way he had treated his sister, and Susan had prevented him from +gaining the goodwill of the servants. + +"But I say you must get me a bladder," exclaimed Norman, "what are you? +you are only a servant. I will make you do what I want." + +"I tell you what young gentleman, I will pin a dish-cloth to your back, +and send you out of the kitchen, if you speak to me in that way. I am +busy now in preparing your grandmamma's luncheon, and I cannot attend to +you." + +Norman after walking about looked very angry for some minutes. Seeing, +however, the cook take up a dirty cloth and draw a pin from her dress, +he thought it wiser to walk off, and made his way back into the garden. + +"I do not see why Fanny should have a beautiful doll and I only a stupid +bit of leather," he muttered to himself. "If I can get hold of that +doll of hers, I know what I will do to it, and then she won't be a bit +better off than I am." + +Instead of attempting to overcome the spirit of envy, which sprung up in +his heart, he went on muttering to himself that he would soon spoil Miss +Lucy's beauty. + +He had not improved in temper, when he was summoned in to dinner. + +Neither Mrs Leslie nor his mamma said anything about Fanny's garden, +and he himself was not inclined to introduce the subject. His +grandmamma did not speak to him, for she was anxious if possible to make +him ashamed of his conduct. Discerning as she was, she was little aware +of the obstinacy of his disposition, and that all he cared for, was to +avoid punishment. + +Fanny had talked to him and tried to amuse him after dinner; as it was +still too hot to go out, she invited him to come into the drawing-room, +and listen to a pretty story she would read to him out of a book. + +After she had read a little time, her grandmamma invited her to sit by +her side, that she might go on with some work that she was teaching her +to do. + +"Come with me, Norman," said Fanny, jumping up immediately, "granny will +let you sit near me on a footstool, and if you hold the book, I can tell +you some of the stories by merely looking at the pictures." + +Norman, who liked having stories told to him, made no objection, and sat +down quietly on a footstool near Fanny. + +"I think Norman, you should now tell Fanny something about India," said +Mrs Leslie, after Fanny had told him several stories. + +"It's a finer country than this, and people do as they are told, that's +one thing I know about it," observed Norman. "A very good thing too," +said Mrs Leslie, "I always like little boys and girls to do as they are +told." + +"But big people do as they are told, our _kitmutgars_ and _chaprassey_ +ran off as quick as lightning to do anything I told them, and if not I +kicked them." + +"I hope that you will not do so to any one in England, my dear," said +Mrs Leslie. + +"I am sorry to say that Norman did sometimes attempt to do as he tells +you," observed Mrs Vallery. "The people he speaks of were our +servants. A _kitmutgar_ is a man who waits at table, and a _chaprassey_ +is another servant, whose duty it is to run on messages, to attend on +ladies when they go out, and to perform the general duties of a footman, +though he does not wait at table. You must know, Fanny, in India each +person has especial duties, and he considers it degrading to perform any +others. + +"A groom is called a _syce_, but he will not cut the grass for his own +horse, and requires another man to do so. The head servant, who +performs the duty of butler, and purchases all the food for the family, +is called a _rhansaman_. + +"A great deal of water is required in the hot weather for bathing and +wetting the tatties, and one man is employed in bringing it up from the +river to the bungalow in which we lived--he is called a _chestie_. A +different man, however, called an _aubdar_, takes care that proper +drinking water is supplied--we generally used rain water, which was +collected in large sheets stretched out between four poles in the rainy +season, and drained into earthen jars, where it keeps cool and sweet. + +"None of those I have mentioned would clean the rooms, and, therefore, +another man a _mehter_ or sweeper was employed. Our clothes were washed +by a man called a _dhobie_; he used to come with his donkey, and carry +them off to the river, where he beat them with a flat stick on a wooden +slab over and over again till they were clean, and then dried them in +the sun. + +"When any out-door work was to be done, we hired labourers of the lowest +caste, who were called _coolies_. Then we had a tailor, who made all my +clothes as well as Norman's and his papa's, and he is called a _durize_. +We had six bearers, who were employed to carry our palanquin, when we +went out, and they also had to keep the punkahs at work, besides having +other things to do." + +"What a household," exclaimed Mrs Leslie, "I am glad we have not so +many servants to attend to in England. Where did they all live?" + +"Some slept rolled up in their sheets on mats in the verandah in front +of the bungalow, others in huts by themselves." + +"Had you no maid-servants?" asked Fanny. + +"Only one, called an _ayah_, who acted as my lady's maid, and took care +of Norman, but had nothing else to do," answered Mrs Vallery. + +"Mamma, what are punkahs and tatties?" inquired Fanny, "I did not like +to interrupt you when you spoke of them." + +"The punkah is something like an enormous fan suspended to the roof, and +when a breeze is required, it is drawn backwards and forwards with ropes +by the bearers. Sometimes in hot weather it is kept going day and +night, indeed without it at times we should scarcely have been able to +bear the heat, or go to sleep at night. The tatties are mats made of a +sweet-smelling grass, which are hung up on the side from which the hot +wind comes, and being kept constantly wet by the _chesties_, the air +passing through them is cooled by the evaporation which takes place." + +"I suppose you must have lived in a very large house, as you had so many +servants to attend on you," observed Fanny. + +"When we were at a station up the country, we resided in a bungalow, +which was a cottage, with all the rooms on the ground floor, in the +centre of an enclosure called a compound. It was covered with a sloping +thickly-thatched roof, to keep out the rays of the sun. In the centre +was a large hall which was our sitting-room, with doors opening all +round it into the bedrooms, and outside them was a broad verandah. I +spoke of doors, but I should rather have called them door-ways with +curtains to them, thus the air set moving by the punkahs could circulate +through the house, while the sun could not penetrate into the inner +room, it was therefore kept tolerably cool." + +"I think we are better off in England, where even in the hottest weather +we can keep cool without so much trouble being taken," observed Fanny. +"How I pity the poor men who are obliged to work at the punkahs." + +"They are accustomed to the heat, and it is their business," observed +Mrs Vallery; "they would not have thanked us had we dismissed them, and +told them that for their sakes we were ready to bear the hot stifling +atmosphere, or to refrain from going out in our palanquins." + +"What are palanquins, mamma?" asked Fanny. + +"A palanquin may be described as a litter or sofa without legs, and with +a roof over it, carried by means of long poles, one on each side, the +ends resting on the shoulders of the bearers. A person travelling in +one can recline at full length, and sleep comfortably during a long +journey. When travelling by post, or _dak_, as it is called, fresh +bearers are found ready at each stage, just as post-horses are in +England. + +"When we went out to pay visits for a short distance only we used a +_tanjahn_, in which a person, instead of reclining, sits upright. It is +somewhat like an English sedan-chair. We, however, at most of the +stations where the roads were good, used open carriages sent out from +England. + +"Your papa used occasionally, also, to go out hunting tigers on the back +of an elephant. He did not, however, bestride it as he would a horse, +but sat with one or two other persons in a sort of box, called a +_howdah_, fastened on the animal's back. The huge creature was guided +by a man called a _mahout_, seated on its neck, with a sharp-pointed +stick in his hand. To get into the _howdah_ a ladder is placed against +the animal's side, which stands perfectly quiet, till ordered by the +_mahout_ to move on. + +"I have on several occasions travelled on the back of an elephant in a +much larger _howdah_ than is used for hunting, when I had a _chattah_ or +umbrella held over my head." + +"But do the huge elephants gallop after the tigers?" asked Fanny. + +"I should think not," observed Norman, now speaking for the first time. +"Papa used to carry a gun, and beaters and dogs went into the jungle to +drive out the tigers, and then he used to shoot them. He has often told +me about it, and promised to take me when I am big enough. I should +like to shoot a tiger." + +"You would not like to see a tiger spring up at the _howdah_, and try to +drag you out of it, as happened when your papa was out shooting one day, +and the poor _mahout_ was so dreadfully torn that he died?" observed +Mrs Vallery. "Tiger shooting is a _very_ dangerous amusement, and I +was always anxious till your papa came back safe. It was no amusement +to me in the meantime." + +"Women are silly things, and are always being afraid," said Norman, with +an impudent look. + +"That was not a proper remark, Norman, and it was especially rude in you +to make it in our presence," observed Mrs Leslie. + +"When I am big I intend to go out tiger shooting, and if other people +are afraid, I shall not be," persisted Norman. + +His grandmamma made no further remark, but she cast a look of pity at +the boy. + +"But are not the elephants frightened, mamma, when they see the tigers?" +asked Fanny, anxious to draw off attention from her brother. + +"They are wise creatures, and seem to know that their riders have the +means of defending them, so that they very seldom run away," answered +Mrs Vallery, "occasionally they take flight. Nothing can be more +uncomfortable than having to sit on the back of an elephant under such +circumstances. The creature sticks out its trunk and screams as it +rushes onward, trampling down everything in its way. Should it pass +under trees, it happens occasionally that a branch sweeps its riders +with their _howdah_ from its back. Elephants are, however, generally so +well-trained, that I never felt any fear when seated on the back of one. +They are, indeed, wonderfully sensible creatures, and can be taught to +do anything. They sometimes convey luggage and even light guns over +rough country, which wheels cannot traverse. With their trunks they +lift up enormous logs of wood, and place them exactly as directed when +roads are being formed, and they will even build up piles of logs, +placing each with the greatest exactness. I have heard of elephants +taking up children in their trunks and playing with them, and putting +them down again, without doing them the slightest injury. They can, as +the natives say, do everything but talk, indeed they seem to understand +what is said to them, and I have seen a _mahout_ whisper in his +elephant's ear, when the creature immediately obeyed him, though he +possibly may have used some other sign which I did not observe." + +"I should like to travel on the back of one of the well-trained +elephants you speak of, mamma, because I could then look about and see +the country, though I think that I should at first be somewhat afraid +until I got accustomed to it," remarked Fanny. + +"You may be able to try how you like riding on the back of one of them +at the Zoological Gardens, where perhaps your papa will take you some +day," said Mrs Leslie, "it is among the places I thought you would like +to see, and I told him that I was sure you would be very much interested +in going there?" + +"I will go too, and take care of you," said Norman, with a patronising +air, "I have ridden on an elephant in India, and if there are any tigers +we will shoot them." + +"There are several tigers in the Zoological Gardens, but the owners +would object to your shooting them, Norman," observed Mrs Leslie. +"They are safely shut up in cages." + +"I suppose the people are afraid of them," said Norman, "I am not afraid +of tigers, and when I go back to India I intend to shoot a great many." + +"You should not boast so much, Norman," observed his mamma. "Do you not +remember how frightened you were at the tame leopard which our friend +Mr James kept in his bungalow, and how, when you first saw the animal, +you screamed out and came running to me for protection. I was not +surprised, for had its master not been with us I should have been +frightened too. But I do not like to hear you boast of your valour, +especially when I cannot recollect any occasion on which you have +exhibited it." + +Norman held his tongue, and soon after this Captain Vallery returned +from London. + +Norman ran to him eagerly, expecting that he had a fresh football, or +some other toy, but his papa had been too much ashamed of him to think +of doing so, and Norman went out of the room grumbling at the neglect +with which he was treated. + +"He cares for Fanny more than me," he muttered; "I daresay he has +brought her something, but I am not going to let her boast of her +beautiful doll, while I have got nothing to play with." + +Fanny did not dream that Norman would ever think of doing any harm to +her doll, although every day after she had been playing with it, as it +was too large to go into her doll's house, she either put it away +carefully in a drawer, or carried it into granny's room. Norman +therefore, though he looked about for Miss Lucy, could never find her. + +Norman was much older than many boys, who can read well, and Mrs Leslie +strongly advised Captain Vallery to have him instructed. + +"He will learn in good time, and I do not like to run the risk of +breaking his spirits by beginning too early," answered Captain Vallery. + +"But unless he begins to learn I do not see how he will ever be able to +read, and until he does so, he cannot amuse himself, but must always be +dependent upon others," answered his grandmamma. "I will take him in +hand, and when I am unable to teach him I daresay Mrs Norton will do +so." + +Captain Vallery at last consented that Norman should begin learning. + +Mrs Leslie found him a very refractory pupil, for although he evidently +could learn, he would not attend to what she told him, and she was +therefore glad to give him over to Mrs Norton. That lady had no idea +of allowing a little boy to have his own way, so she kept Master Norman +every morning close by her side till he had finished the task she set +him. In a few days he knew all the letters, and could soon read short +words without difficulty. He however did not feel at all as grateful as +he ought to have done, for the instruction given him, and gladly escaped +from the schoolroom when Mrs Norton devoted her attention to Fanny. + +One day his grandmamma had driven out with his papa and mamma, to call +on some friends, when Norman having finished his lessons, Mrs Norton +said to him, "You may go out and play on the lawn for an hour, till I +call you in again." + +Norman ran off, well pleased to be at liberty, but not knowing exactly +what to do with himself. + +"If I had my football I might kick it about, and have some fun," he +thought, "no one has taken the trouble to mend it. I should think +Fanny, who is so nimble with her fingers as granny says, might have done +so. I must have a game at battledore and shuttlecock, I can play that +alone." + +He went into the drawing-room to get one of the battledores, which were +kept in an Indian cabinet. No sooner had he opened the door than his +eye fell on Miss Lucy, seated in a large arm-chair, where Fanny, who had +brought her down to try on a new frock which her mamma had made, had +incautiously left her. + +"You are there, are you!" said Norman, slowly approaching, "you look as +if you were laughing at me. I should like to know what business Fanny +has with you, when I have not my football to play with." + +He stopped for a minute or more, looking at the doll with his fists +clenched; and instead of trying to drive away the evil thought which had +entered his mind, took a pleasure in encouraging it. Still, he did not +touch the doll. "I will carry you out, and hide you in a bush, where +Fanny cannot find you," he muttered. + +Then he thought that he must take out a battledore and shuttlecock and +play with it, or what he proposed doing would be suspected. He went to +the cabinet, and opening it, there he saw on an upper shelf the very +knife with which he had made the hole in his football. + +A dreadful idea seized him, he took the knife and advanced with it +towards poor Miss Lucy. Dragging her from the chair, he threw her on +the ground and began to cut away at her wax neck with his knife. As the +chief part of the edge was blunted, he did not at first make much +impression; but, drawing it rapidly backwards till the sharp part +towards the point reached the doll's neck, in one instant off rolled the +head. Others who do wicked deeds often injure themselves, so Norman, +whose finger was under the point cut a deep gash in it. As he felt the +pain, and saw the blood spurting forth, he jumped up, crying lustily for +some one to come and help him, utterly regardless of the mischief he had +done. + +He gazed at his finger, and thought that all the blood in his body would +run out. + +"Oh, what shall I do? what shall I do?" he screamed out. "Is nobody +coming to help me?" Then he looked at the doll. + +"It was all your fault, you nasty thing," he exclaimed kicking the +doll's body away from its head, "I wish that I had let you alone. What +business had Fanny to leave you in the chair, looking so impudently at +me, and if you had your head on, you would be laughing at me still?" +then he again looked at his finger, which smarted very much, and as he +saw the blood dropping down on the carpet, he bawled louder than ever. + +Fanny, during a pause in her reading, heard him. "What can be the +matter with Norman?" she exclaimed, "may I run down and see?" + +"Yes, my dear, and call me if he has really hurt himself," said Mrs +Norton, "but from the way in which he is crying, I do not think there is +anything very serious." + +Fanny ran downstairs. She entered the drawing-room. For a moment, she +stood aghast, as the first object which met her sight, was her dear, +pretty Miss Lucy's head, lying some way apart from her body, with a huge +knife near it, and Norman standing not far off. + +Fanny, as we have seen was a very sweet amiable girl, but, she had a +spirit and a temper, though she generally restrained the latter, when +inclined to give way to it. She saw at once that the cruel deed, had +been done by Norman, and her heart swelling with indignation, she rushed +forward, and gave him a box on the ear. She then threw herself down by +the side of her doll, and burst into tears. Then picking it up, she +endeavoured to fit on the head. + +The unexpected blow, from his usually gentle sister, so astonished +Norman, that for a moment he ceased his shrieks. + +"You naughty, naughty, boy," I wish papa had whipped you twice as much +as he did, and I hope, he may whip you again, she exclaimed, rising, and +about to give him another slap, but just then, her eye fell on his +bleeding hand, and he recommenced his shrieks and cries. She stopped, +looking at him with alarm. + +"Oh, what is the matter? oh, what is the matter?" she cried out. + +"Send for the doctor, send for the doctor," shrieked Norman. + +"Come with me to Mrs Norton, she will know what to do," said Fanny, +wrapping his hand up in her handkerchief. "Mamma and granny are out, or +they would attend to you." + +"No, no, no, I must have a doctor, I shall die, I know I shall," cried +Norman again and again. + +Fanny cast a piteous glance at poor Miss Lucy which she had let fall, +and though feeling sure that Norman had cut off her head, she was so +much alarmed about him, that without stopping to ask him, with her young +heart full of sorrow, she led him up to Mrs Norton. She hoped he had +done it by accident, or in play, for she would not allow herself to +suppose, that he had been prompted by a spirit of envy and jealousy. +Believing too, that he was severely injured, she felt sorry she had lost +her temper, and struck him. + +"Let me look at your finger, young gentleman," said Mrs Norton, +examining his hand. "Is this a cut to make so much fuss about? Go into +your room, and a little water and sticking plaster will soon set it all +to rights." + +Mrs Norton having bound up Norman's finger, asked Fanny how it had +happened. Fanny, instead of replying, burst into tears. + +"Oh, do not ask me, do not ask me," she said at length. "I am sure he +could not have intended to hurt Miss Lucy, but, O Mrs Norton, he has +cut off her head, and I, when I saw what he had done, boxed his ears. I +am so very sorry, but I did not see how much he had hurt himself." + +Mrs Norton gave a look at Norman, which ought to have made him ashamed +of what he had done. + +His answer betrayed the evil spirit which had prompted him to do the +deed. + +"You should not have had a pretty doll to play with, while I have only +an empty football," he said, in the growling muttering way in which he +too often spoke. + +"Sit down there, your heart must be a very bad one, to let you indulge +in such a feeling," said Mrs Norton, placing Norman in the large chair, +which stood in his room. + +Taking Fanny's hand, she led her downstairs. At first, Mrs Norton said +she should leave the doll and knife on the ground to show Mrs Leslie +and her mamma how he had behaved, but Fanny entreated her not to do so, +and putting the knife back into the cabinet, she took up her doll, over +which her tears fell fast, while she tried to replace its head. + +"We will try and mend the doll, Fanny," said Mrs Norton, "but I am +afraid an ugly mark must always remain, and though we may succeed in +putting on its head, nothing can excuse your brother's behaviour." + +"Oh, but he is very young, pleaded Fanny," and it will make granny and +mamma, and I am afraid papa also so angry with him, but pray, do not +tell them if you can help it. And I ought to have remembered what a +little boy he is--and I should not have lost my temper and hit him--it +was very naughty in me. "Oh dear, oh dear, how sorry I am," and Fanny +again, gave way to her tears. + +Mrs Norton acknowledged that Fanny should not have lost her temper, at +the same time she tried to comfort her. + +Mrs Norton then told Fanny, that she would take the doll home to try +and fix on its head. + +"I shall be so much obliged to you, though I do not deserve it," said +Fanny. + +"I am glad that you do not feel angry with your little brother, naughty +as he has been. It is a blessed thing to forgive an injury, and we are +following our Lord and Master's precept in doing so." + +"I am sure that I should be doing what is very wrong, if I did not +forgive him," answered Fanny, "because I pray to be forgiven as I +forgive others, and as he has hurt himself so much, I hope no one else +will be angry with him." + +"I trust that the way he has hurt himself will be a lesson to him," said +Mrs Norton, as having wrapped up the doll in her shawl, she accompanied +her pupil back to the schoolroom. She allowed Norman to remain sitting +in the chair by himself, but before she left the house, she begged Susan +to go and attend to him. + +As soon as Fanny saw her granny and mamma returning from their drive, +she ran down to meet them. + +"Norman has cut his finger," she said, "but Mrs Norton does not think +it is very bad, and I want you not to ask me how he did it; pray do +this, I shall be so much happier, if you will." + +They said "yes." + +"Thank you, dear granny; thank you, mamma," exclaimed Fanny, kissing +them both. + +I think Fanny Vallery had pleasanter dreams than her brother Norman that +night. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +HARD TO ENDURE. + +Mrs Vallery went upstairs to see Norman. She found him still seated in +the chair looking very sulky. + +"Mrs Norton and Susan and everybody have been scolding at me," he +muttered; "I wish you would send them all away. And Fanny is as bad as +any of them, and nobody cares for me, and Fanny has slapped my face, and +I will slap hers another time, though she is a girl," and Norman began +to cry. + +"My dear child, we all care very much for you," said his mamma, not +knowing of course how he had cut his finger, and as she had promised +Fanny not to do so, she did not ask him. "I am very sorry that Fanny +should have slapped your face, but I am afraid you must have done +something to provoke her, I must ask her why she did it. I cannot help +thinking that you must have been naughty, or Mrs Norton and Susan would +not have scolded you. Come down with me into the garden, we will have a +game of battledore and shuttlecock on the lawn, the fresh air will do +you good." + +"I cannot play, my hand hurts me so much," answered Norman. + +Mrs Vallery, seeing from the small size of the finger-stall Mrs Norton +had put on, that the injury could not be very severe, insisted that +Norman should accompany her. + +"You will soon, I hope, Norman, go to school, where you will have other +boys to play with," observed Mrs Vallery, as she led him downstairs. + +She felt that the child was left too much alone by himself, and that if +placed with companions of his own age, they would assist to correct some +of his many faults. "If his papa consents to send him to school, he +will at all events not be permitted there to have his own way, as he has +hitherto been," she said to herself, and she determined to try and get +Captain Vallery to select a school as soon as possible, knowing well +that Mrs Leslie would support her. + +As it was Norman's left hand which had been hurt, he was very well able +to hold a battledore, and after playing with his mamma a short time, he +recovered his usual spirits, and appeared totally to forget how naughty +he had been. He wondered that nobody had asked him how he had cut his +finger, or spoke to him about Miss Lucy, not understanding the forgiving +spirit which had induced Fanny to refrain from speaking of his conduct. + +"Perhaps she is afraid of saying anything about it, because she slapped +my face," he thought. + +At last, Mrs Vallery went in to get ready for dinner. + +Fanny found Norman who had been sent into the drawing-room to put the +battledores and shuttlecock away. + +"How is your finger?" she asked, in a pitying tone. + +"Oh, it smarts very much," he answered, "though I do not think you care +much about it." + +"Indeed, I do, dear Norman," she said; "you do not know how sorry I am +that I slapped your face, and granny has given me some salve and some +soft linen to bind up your finger again, and if you will come here, I +will try and do it very gently, and not hurt you." + +Fanny sat down in her granny's chair. Taking off the wrapping which +Mrs Norton had put on, and which was somewhat stained with blood, she +replaced it with a nice soft piece covered with salve, which felt very +cool, and soon took away all the pain. + +Having done this Fanny affectionately kissed him. + +"You will forgive me for slapping your face, won't you, dear brother?" +she said, "you know I could not help feeling angry, when I saw that you +had spoilt my beautiful doll; but I do not want you to be punished, and +so I have not told anybody except Mrs Norton, and she found it out of +herself." + +"You are afraid of being punished for slapping my face," answered the +ungrateful little boy. + +"Oh, how can you say that, Norman?" exclaimed Fanny, ready to burst into +tears at the unfeeling observation. "I would have told mamma that I +slapped you, but then I knew that that would have shown what you had +done; but I did tell Mrs Norton, and she said I was wrong, and I knew I +was, and I want you to forgive me for that." + +"I do not know what you mean by `forgive,'" said Norman. + +"That you do not feel angry or vexed, or wish to slap my face, or do me +any harm, and that you love me as much as you did before, and will try +to forget all about it," answered Fanny. "That is what I think is the +meaning of forgiving, and that is what I know I ought to do about the +way you treated Miss Lucy. I wish there would not be the ugly mark on +her neck, which I am afraid she always will have, even when Mrs Norton +gets her head put on, as she has promised to do; but I must try and make +her a high frock with a frill, which will come under her chin, and hide +it, and then I shall not see the mark, and so I hope I shall soon forget +what you did to her." + +Norman opened his large eyes, and fixed them on his sister. + +"I think I know better than I did before what to forgive means," he +observed; "I wish, Fanny, I was more like you." + +Just then Susan, who had been looking for the children to get them ready +for tea, came in, and led off Norman. Unfortunately she had discovered +how he had treated Miss Lucy, and she thought fit to give him another +scolding. This made him angry, and he entirely forgot all that Fanny in +her gentle way had told him about forgiveness. Once more he hardened +his heart and thought that now he was equal with Fanny, as he had lost +his football, and her doll had lost its head. + +Captain Vallery returned home later than usual. Norman, who heard his +ring at the door, ran down to meet him, and was much disappointed to +find that he had not brought a new football. + +"I thought, papa, that you would have remembered that my football is +spoilt," he exclaimed, "and would have brought another." + +"But who spoilt it, let me ask?" said Captain Vallery. "As you spoilt +the football, you should be the person to mend it, and you should not +expect me to bring you a new one." + +"But I cannot mend it, papa," said Norman. + +"People often find that they cannot remedy the harm they have done," +observed his papa. + +Norman, who was afraid that his papa might hear of the way he had +treated his sister's doll, did not ask any further questions. + +All the next day he behaved much better. His finger hurt him, and +morning and evening he went humbly to Fanny to get it dressed, because +he found she did it so gently and carefully. + +No one said anything about the doll, and he wondered what had become of +it. Once or twice he thought that if he could find it he would put it +out of the way altogether, for he was dreadfully afraid lest his granny +or papa should discover that its head had been cut off. At last he +thought he would dig a hole in the garden and put it into it, and cover +it up, and then no one would be able to find it. + +"Fanny has not told about it," he thought, "she and Mrs Norton are the +only people who know what I did, and as they have said nothing as yet, I +hope that they will not." + +Norman did not consider that although neither his papa or mamma or +granny might discover what he proposed doing, God would not only see +him, but knew already the evil in his heart, and that should he continue +to indulge his bad feelings, they would grow with his growth, and when +he became a man they would too probably make him do things too terrible +to mention. + +As soon as he had made up his mind what to do, while Fanny was at her +lessons, he stole into her room, expecting to find the doll. He saw +that it was not in the doll's house, and so he looked into her bed, and +then he opened all her drawers, but no doll was to be found. He had +seen her one day going in with it to granny's room, so he thought it +might be there. Mrs Leslie was downstairs, he therefore hoped that he +might be able to creep in and search for the doll without being +discovered. He listened, the drawing-room door was closed, and he knew +that Susan was not in that part of the house, so, walking on tiptoes, in +he stole. He looked about in every part of the room where he thought +the doll might be placed. + +"Perhaps Fanny puts it in one of the drawers," he said to himself, "but +then what would granny say if she found out that I had looked into +them." + +At last he put his hands to the handle, and opened a drawer just wide +enough to peep in, but the doll was not there. He opened the next, but +using greater force, he pulled it much wider open than he had intended: +no doll was within. He tried to close it, but found he could not +succeed, he pushed and pushed, still the drawer would not close; at +last, putting his shoulder to it, he lifted it up, and the drawer shut, +but in doing so it made much more noise than he had expected. There was +still another drawer below it--he thought he would just peep in, and +then run away as fast as possible. He took hold of the handle, and +pulled and pulled, but the drawer would not open, for a good reason, +because it was locked. This he did not discover, but thought he would +pull once more, and if he did not succeed, he would give it up. He took +hold of the handles, and exerted all his strength, suddenly he found, +though the handles were in his hands, they had come out of the drawer, +and over he rolled backwards. In falling he made a loud thump on the +floor. Just then, before he had time to jump up, the door opened, and +there stood his granny. She looked at him with astonishment. + +"What! have you been trying to open my drawers?" she asked gravely, "it +is very wrong in you if you have," but she felt too much grieved at such +a thing to speak angrily. + +"I came to look--to look--to look for Fanny's doll," blurted out Norman. + +"To look for Fanny's doll!" said Mrs Leslie, "I thought you did not +care for dolls? Did Fanny send you for hers?" + +"No," answered Norman, "but I wanted her." + +"Fanny has not brought her doll to me for some time, and perhaps she has +a good reason for not doing so," said Mrs Leslie, looking at Norman. +"It would, even if you knew that the doll was there, have been very +wrong of you to have looked into my drawers without my permission. I am +sure your papa and mamma would not approve of your doing so." + +"Oh, do not tell them!" cried Norman, "perhaps papa will beat me again, +and it's all Fanny's fault, she should not have had a doll now that my +football is spoilt!" + +"I will make no promises," said Mrs Leslie, "go into your room, and +remain there, while I speak to your mamma. The last remarks you made +about your sister having a doll, shows that you have a jealous feeling +of her, and prevents me from wishing to get your football mended, as I +had thought of doing. People who are jealous of others are never happy, +and I should only encourage you, were I to do as I purposed." + +Norman went into his room and sat himself down in his arm-chair. He +thought that granny had let him off very well, as she had only scolded +him, and what she had said did not make him at all ashamed of himself, +nor did he see his fault. His only fear was that granny might tell his +papa, who, though he allowed him to have his own way in many things, +would, he had sense enough to know, be very much displeased with what he +had done. + +"What can have become of Miss Lucy though?" he thought, "I still must +try to find her! I wonder if they know that I cut off her head." + +He was allowed to remain in his room till he heard Fanny, who had done +her lessons, calling to him. She invited him to have a game before +dinner on the lawn. + +When there, she produced from under her pinafore a trap and bat. + +"Papa brought this yesterday in his pocket and gave it to me that I +might play with you." + +Fanny put it down on the ground. + +"What a strange looking thing," exclaimed Norman, "what are we to do +with it?" + +"I will show you," said Fanny, putting the ball into the trap and taking +the bat in her right hand. "Now keep a little behind me, and I will +force the ball up, then I will hit it with the bat and send it up into +the air to a distance." + +Fanny, very adroitly, made the ball fly nearly across the lawn. + +"You observe where it fell; now go there and try and catch it, and if +you do so you will get me out, and you will have the right to come and +play at the trap till I put you out. Or, if you roll the ball up and +hit the trap you put me out." + +Fanny played for some time, but at last, finding that Norman could not +catch the ball nor roll it against the trap, thought that he would +become impatient, and she hit it only a little way. He ran up, and +without discovering that she did this to please him, soon managed to +roll the ball against the trap. + +"Ah, I have put you out at last, Miss," he exclaimed, "and now you shall +see where I send the ball to, you had better go to the other side of the +lawn, and try and catch me out if you can!" + +Norman seized the bat, looking as if he was going to do great things, +and Fanny went, as he desired her, to a distance. + +The first time he struck the trap he upset it, and the ball tumbled down +by his side. Again and again he tried to hit the ball, but always +missed it, and it sometimes scarcely rose out of the cup. + +"What a stupid bat this is," he exclaimed, losing patience, "I wonder +you could manage to make the ball jump out of it." + +"All you want is patience and practice," answered Fanny, "try and try +again, I do not mind looking out for you?" + +Norman made a few more attempts, with equal want of success. + +"You have done something to the trap I am sure, or I should be able to +hit the ball," he cried out. + +"Nonsense!" said Fanny laughing, "it is entirely your own fault, strike +the tail more gently and keep your eye on the ball, you will be able to +hit it." + +Once more he tried, but instead of hitting the trap more gently, Norman +used greater force, and consequently upset it, and looking to see what +had happened, instead of keeping his eyes on the ball, the latter in +falling hit him slightly on the head; this was enough for him, and when +Fanny, laughing, was coming up to him, altogether losing his temper he +threw the bat at her with all his force. It fortunately missed her +head, but striking her on the shoulder hurt her very much. + +"O Norman, how could you do that!" she exclaimed, seizing him by the +arm. "I was only going to show you how to use the bat, and you might +have killed me," she said, naturally feeling very angry with him. "You +naughty, naughty boy!" + +Norman lifted up his fist as if about to strike her, Fanny seized his +other arm, he struggled to free himself. At that moment Mrs Vallery +came out of the house. + +"What are you children about?" she asked. "Fanny my dear, what are you +doing to your little brother?" + +"She was laughing at me," cried out Norman, "and because I was angry, +she is pinching me all over." + +"Indeed, I am not," said Fanny, and though an instant before she had +felt very angry with Norman, having overcome the feeling, she did not +like to say that he had thrown the bat at her. + +"I laughed at him, mamma, merely because he missed the ball so often, +and when I came near him he wanted to hit me." + +"And I did hit you," cried Norman, "and I will hit you again if you +laugh at me," and again he struggled to get free. + +"My dear Fanny, you should have more consideration for your little +brother," remarked Mrs Vallery, coming up to them. + +Fanny let go her hold of Norman, who gave a vicious kick out at her as +she did so, and ran to his mamma's side. + +Poor Fanny felt inclined to cry at the rebuke she had received, and yet +she would not excuse herself by saying what Norman had done. That young +gentleman, considering he had gained a triumph, shouted out-- + +"Now you may go and play by yourself, I do not want to have anything +more to do with the stupid trap and bat." + +"It is very ungrateful in you to say that, Norman, after your papa +brought it down expressly for you," said Mrs Vallery. "Stay and play +on, and try if you cannot do better; and, Fanny, let me ask you not to +laugh at the little fellow if he does not manage to hit the ball as +often as you do." + +"I will gladly stop and play with Norman, and promise not to laugh at +him," answered Fanny, ever ready to forgive, though, as she moved her +arm, she felt much pain. + +"Will you try again, Norman, and let me show you how you may hit the +ball?" she said gently. + +Norman sulkily consented, and their mamma, thinking that he was +reconciled to his sister, returned to the house. + +Fanny again set to work to show her brother how he ought to strike the +trap, and in a short time, by following her directions, he was able to +send the ball some distance. He now, highly delighted, kept her running +about in all directions. Her arm hurt her too much to enable her to +catch the ball, and though she might frequently have rolled it back +against the trap and put him out, seeing how much amused he was she +refrained from doing so. + +"We will have another game by-and-by," he exclaimed, as they were +summoned to dinner, and he went in highly pleased with his performance, +and ready to boast about it, but he entirely forgot the injury he had +done to poor Fanny. + +They had another game in the afternoon, though Fanny could with +difficulty play. + +When she was putting on her frock in the evening to go down to dessert, +Susan observed that her shoulder was very black. + +"What have you done to your shoulder, Miss Fanny?" she asked; "I must +put something to it." + +Fanny had to confess that Norman had thrown the bat at her, but begged +Susan not to scold him. + +"I cannot promise, Miss, not to do that," she answered, "I am so angry +with him. He is a regular little tyrant. Trusty knows it, if nobody +else does, for, from the day the young gentleman came into the house he +has kept away from him, and I think he ought to be whipped for many +other things besides telling stories." + +Fanny again pleaded in her usual way for her young brother, though she +could not help confessing to herself that Susan was right. + +At dessert Fanny sat next to her grandmamma, but her hurt shoulder was +turned away from her and was towards Norman, who saw the black mark and +remembering how it must have been caused, was in a great fright all the +time he was eating the dish of strawberries his papa gave him, lest some +one else would discover it. It might possibly have prevented him from +enjoying his dessert as much as he otherwise would have done. Their +mamma was sitting opposite, and saw the mark, but thought it was a +shadow cast on Fanny's shoulder, and thus no one said anything on the +subject. + +Norman congratulated himself when he and Fanny went up to bed, that his +violent act had escaped detection. Susan, however, who had undertaken +to put him to bed, asked him how he had dared to strike his sister in +the way he had done. + +"I did not strike her, she held my arms and pinched me too much for +that." + +"What do you call throwing a bat at her and hitting her with it, then?" +asked Susan. + +"If you ask me questions I will strike you, you tiresome thing," +exclaimed Norman, tearing off his clothes as fast as he could, in the +hopes of getting Susan quickly out of the room. + +"You had better not, young gentleman," said Susan; "your grandmamma does +not allow anybody to be struck in this house, and I should hold you a +good deal tighter than your sister did." + +Norman never dared to answer Susan when she spoke in that tone of voice, +and so he held his tongue till she had washed him and put him into bed, +when his mamma came upstairs to hear him say his prayers. I am afraid +that Norman merely uttered the words, for his heart was certainly not +right towards God, nor did he even feel sorry for what he had done. + +The next day, when Mrs Norton arrived, Norman saw that she had +something wrapped up in her shawl. As she unfolded it, there was Miss +Lucy, with a high dress, and frill round her neck. + +"Oh, thank you! thank you! dear Mrs Norton," exclaimed Fanny, kissing +her, "how very kind of you, and such a pretty dress! She really looks +as nice as ever, and I am sure I shall soon forget what a dreadful +accident happened to her," and she cast a forgiving, affectionate look +at Norman. He did not return it, but eyed Miss Lucy askance, muttering, +"My ball is not mended." + +Mrs Norton did not hear him, and Fanny hoped her ears had deceived her. + +"My dear, why do you not lean on your left arm, as I have told you," +said Mrs Norton when Fanny was taking her writing lesson. + +"My shoulder hurts me," answered Fanny, "and, if you will excuse me, I +will try and write without doing so." + +"There, now, she is going to tell her governess I threw the bat at her," +thought Norman. + +Fanny particularly wished to avoid giving any reason why her shoulder +hurt her, and when Mrs Norton asked what was the matter with her arm, +she replied, that it was nothing very serious, she was sure, and hoped +that it would soon be well. + +Mrs Norton seeing that she did not wish to talk about it, forebore to +question her on the subject. + +As soon as her lessons were over, Fanny took her doll up to her room, +and reintroduced her to Nancy. Norman who had followed her, watched her +with an envious eye, as she made the two dolls talk to each other. + +After she had played with them for some time, she put Miss Lucy on her +bed, and she and Norman went down into the drawing-room. + +Norman had not given up his evil intention of putting Miss Lucy out of +the way. He forgot all his sweet sister's forbearance, and +loving-kindness towards him; and still allowed that terrible feeling of +envy to rankle in his heart. + +A few days before, Mrs Leslie and her daughter had received an +invitation to pay a visit, with the children, to some friends in +Scotland. Captain Vallery was unable to accompany them, being detained +in London, but he expected shortly to follow. Fanny was delighted at +the thought of visiting the Highlands, and seeing the beautiful lakes +and streams, and mountains, she had heard so much of. + +"I don't care for those sort of things," observed Norman, as he heard +their plans discussed at dinner. + +"Shall we have elephants to ride on, or tiger shooting?" he asked, "that +would suit papa and me best." + +Fanny burst into a fit of merry laughter, at which Norman got very +angry. + +"Don't you know that there are no elephants or tigers in this part of +the world?" inquired Fanny. "The only wild animals are deer, and I +always think how cruel it is to shoot such beautiful creatures, when I +hear of people hunting them." + +"Perhaps papa and I will go out and shoot them, only women and girls +think shooting cruel," said Norman scornfully. + +"A little boy should not speak disrespectfully of the tender feelings of +women and girls," observed Mrs Leslie. "Fanny is very right when she +expresses her sorrow, at hearing of deer being killed merely for sport, +though if they were allowed to live in great numbers they would prevent +other more useful animals from finding pasture." + +"I say it is very good fun, shooting animals of all sorts," exclaimed +Norman. + +"You should not speak to your grandmamma in that tone," said Mrs +Vallery. + +Norman always grew angry when rebuked, and muttered something to +himself, of which no one took notice. + +After dinner Fanny remained with her granny and mamma to do some work, +while Norman stole out of the room. He stood in the hall for some +minutes, and then creeping upstairs, went into Fanny's bed-chamber. +There on the bed lay Miss Lucy. Taking her up he silently came +downstairs, and made his way by the back door into the garden, hoping +that no one observed him. + +"I will pay Fanny off for laughing at me," he muttered, as he ran +quickly, with Lucy in his arms, towards the plot of ground at the +farthest end, near Fanny's garden which had remained uncultivated. He +had left Fanny's spade there the day before. Picking it up and hiding +the doll in the shrubbery, he began digging away in the soft ground till +he had made a large and deep hole. Not caring how much the earth would +spoil Miss Lucy's wax face and pretty dress, he placed her in it, and +then covered her completely over, smoothing the ground so that, as he +thought, no one would discover that he had been digging there. + +"Now though my football is spoilt, Fanny will never get her doll again, +and so we are equal," he muttered to himself, as he went towards the +tool-house to leave the spade there. + +Just then he caught sight of Trusty running along the path. The dog +never came near him if he could help it. + +Norman put the spade where he had intended, and returning to the lawn, +began playing with his trap and ball. He soon grew tired of being by +himself, so going to the drawing-room window, he shouted out-- + +"Fanny I want you to come and play with me." + +"You may go out, and try and amuse your little brother," said Mrs +Vallery, "he should not be left so much by himself." + +Fanny, though she wanted to finish her work, without a word of +remonstrance, put it aside, and ran out to the lawn. + +"Now, Fanny, just try and catch the ball if you can, I have got the +trap, so I intend to be in first," said Norman striking the trap with +his bat. + +Fanny did as her brother asked her. + +For some time, though she might easily often have put him out, wishing +to afford him all the amusement in her power, she refrained from doing +so. When she proposed stopping, he, in his usual style, ordered her to +go on. She did so a few minutes longer, and, as he now managed to hit +the ball to a considerable distance, she had to run about a great deal. +At last she began to lose patience, and, rolling the ball against the +trap, she told him that he must now give up the bat to her. On this he +threw it down, declaring he had played long enough. + +"That is not fair," she exclaimed. "You ought to go and look out for +me." + +He refused to do so, and walked away; while Fanny, feeling more angry +with him than she had ever before been, went into the house. + +"As Norman will not play properly, I must go and amuse myself with Miss +Lucy," she thought. + +She entered her room; Miss Lucy was not on her bed, where she was +certain she had left her. She hunted about, and then went to Susan to +ask if she had taken her. + +"I have not even been into your room, Miss Fanny," answered Susan; "but +I suspect, if she has gone, who took her. Just do you go and ask your +brother." + +Fanny ran after Norman, and found him in the path leading to their part +of the garden. + +"Where is my doll?" she inquired. + +"What do I know about your doll?" he exclaimed. He was afraid to say +that he had not taken her because he remembered the whipping his papa +had given him. + +"I am sure you have taken her," exclaimed Fanny; "Susan says so, and +told me to ask you." + +"How did she dare to say that?" cried Norman. "You had better look for +your doll, and if you find her you will have her again, and if not, you +will not be worse off than I am without my football, which I liked just +as much as you do your stupid doll." + +"My doll is not stupid," cried Fanny; "you tried to make her so by +cutting her head off, you naughty, ill-natured boy;" and Fanny seized +his arm feeling much inclined to box his ears. + +"Let me alone," cried Norman. "I am not going to talk about your stupid +doll, and stupid she is; and I wish Mrs Norton had not put on her head +again. I will tell papa you pinched me, though you do pretend to be so +sweet and gentle." + +Fanny felt both hurt and indignant and angry at this accusation. She +let go her brother's arm, and looked at him in a way which she had never +before done. + +"You have taken my doll, I know you have, and I do not believe you, even +though you say that you have not," she exclaimed. + +"I won't say anything about it," said Norman, looking very determined. + +"Then I must ask granny and mamma, to make you, you naughty boy," she +cried. + +"They cannot make me if I do not know where she is; and I will pay you +off for threatening me," cried Norman. + +Fanny was going back to the house, feeling unable to bear any longer +with her little brother, when she caught sight of Trusty, at the further +end of the walk, scratching away with might and main in the ground near +her garden. Norman saw him too, and felt very uncomfortable. If he did +not drive the dog away, what he had done would certainly be discovered; +but he dare not go near him without his whip, for Trusty was apt to +snarl if he attempted to catch him. + +"What can Trusty be about?" she exclaimed, going towards her garden. + +Norman followed, though he would rather have run away. As he went on he +picked up some stones, which the gardener had dug up out of a newly-made +bed. He was just going to throw one at the dog, when Fanny turning +round saw him and held his hand; while Trusty, scratching away more +vehemently than ever, caught hold of a piece of white muslin, which he +had exposed to view, and dragged forth poor Miss Lucy sadly dirtied and +disfigured. Norman let the stones drop from his hands in dismay. + +"You did it! I know you did! You buried her when she was not dead-- +though you had cut her head off--you naughty, wicked, bad boy," cried +Fanny bestowing several slaps on her brother's face ere she rushed +forward to pick up her doll. + +Fanny's tears fell fast while she endeavoured to brush off the black +earth from poor Miss Lucy's face, and shook her muslin frock; but still +a great deal of earth remained about her hair, and in her eyes and +mouth. Poor Fanny lost all control of herself as she gazed at the sad +spectacle. Norman stood by unmoved though he did not like the boxes on +the ears he had received. Again Fanny flew at him and repeated her +blows, when Trusty began to bark, eager to assist his young mistress, +and very sure that she was doing right. + +Norman on this, taking fright, ran along the path towards the house as +fast as he could go, Trusty barking at his heels, and Fanny following +him. The boy shrieked as he ran, crying louder and louder. + +His voice reached his mamma's ears, and she hurried out, fearing that +some accident had happened. Mrs Leslie also came out; and at the same +moment Captain Vallery arrived. Norman rushed up to them, shrieking out +that Trusty was going to bite him, and that Fanny had been beating him +black and blue. + +Fanny came up directly afterwards, the tears dropping from her eyes, her +face flushed, and still bearing the traces of her unusual anger, while +her sobs prevented her from explaining what had happened, or defending +herself. All she could do, was to hold up her doll, and point to +Norman. + +"He did it, he did it!" then her tears gushed forth afresh. + +"She beat me, she beat me!" retorted Norman. + +"I am afraid you both have been very naughty," said Mrs Vallery. + +"You know I never allow Norman to be beaten except by me," observed +Captain Vallery. + +Mrs Leslie, who had more confidence in Fanny than her own parents had, +said-- + +"Let us hear what provocation Norman gave, before we condemn her. What +has occurred, my dear child?" + +"He buried Miss Lucy to hide her from me," sobbed Fanny. "If Trusty had +not pulled her out, I should never have found her, and she would have +been entirely spoilt; as it is, the poor creature's eyes are full of +dirt, and her pretty gown is all covered with earth." + +Fanny continued sobbing as if her young heart would break. + +Her granny now led her into the house, followed by Mrs Vallery holding +Norman by the hand. + +Though he would not confess what he had done, the fact was evident, but +as he had not told a story, his papa did not offer to whip him, as he +deserved. Mrs Vallery spoke to him very seriously, and he listened to +her lecture quietly enough, as he did not mind being scolded. + +Her granny had done her best in the meantime to comfort Fanny, and with +the assistance of Susan put Miss Lucy to rights, though several ugly +marks remained on her face, and her frock required to be carefully +washed. + +Before going to bed she found Norman, and telling him how sorry she was +that she had beaten him, forgave him with all her heart for the injury +he had done her doll. + +"You will not try to hurt her again, will you, Norman?" she said, +"promise me that, or I shall be afraid of leaving her for a moment, lest +you should find her, and do her some harm." + +Norman promised, and Fanny kissed him, and felt at length more happy, +though, as she laid her young head on the pillow, it seemed, as if +something very terrible had happened during the day. Norman did not +trouble himself much about the matter; he had got off very cheaply, and +it is possible that he really was happier than if he had succeeded in +hiding Miss Lucy, and utterly destroying her--he certainly would have +been very uncomfortable while people were looking for her, and he was +dreading that she would be discovered, and his wicked act brought to +light. + +The day arrived when the family were to go to Scotland. Captain Vallery +accompanied them to London, and saw them off by the train. Fanny had +never made so long a journey before, as she had only been up and down +occasionally with her granny to town. It seemed very strange to her to +find the train going on and on, passing by towns, and villages, and +country houses, without stopping: sometimes for a whole hour together it +flew on and she found that fifty miles had been passed over. Norman +laughed at her exclamations of surprise and delight. + +"Oh, this is nothing," he observed, "we have come all the way from India +by a steamer, through the Suez Canal and then along the Mediterranean +and right through France." + +"You are a young traveller; Fanny knows that. Perhaps some day she may +make the same journey," observed Mrs Leslie. "Still you should not +despise your sister, because she has not seen as much as you have." + +The party remained a few days in Edinburgh to see various friends, and +then proceeded on to Glen Tulloch--a romantic place in the Highlands-- +the residence of Mr and Mrs Maclean, with whom they had been invited +to stay. + +Every one was pleased with Fanny, and thought Norman a very fine boy, +and he was perfectly satisfied with the praises he heard bestowed on +him. + +The house stood on the side of a hill, with a stream running into a loch +on one side, and a wide extent of level wild ground above it. + +Mr Maclean showed the children a rough little carriage he had had +built, and told Fanny that she might take it out whenever she liked, and +give her brother a drive over the moor. + +"I daresay as he has only just come from India, he is unaccustomed to +walk over our rough ground, and you need not be afraid of breaking the +carriage, you can go where you like." + +Fanny was delighted, and offered at once to take Norman out. + +"Yes, and I will sit in the carriage, and drive you with my whip, that +will be good fun," said Norman. + +His whip, however, had not been brought to Scotland, but Mr Maclean, +who thought he was in fun, cut him a long stick, and helped the children +up the hill with the carriage. When they got on level ground, he wished +them good-bye, and Fanny dragging the carriage into which Norman got, +they proceeded on their journey. + +The carriage was roughly made, being merely a wooden box cut out, on +either side with thick wooden wheels, and a pole by which it was +dragged. Norman, however, thought it very good fun to sit in it, and be +drawn along. At first, he contented himself with merely flourishing the +stick, but when Fanny did not go fast enough to please him, he began to +hit at her with it. + +"Go on, my little horse, go on. I wish you were a coolie, and I would +soon make you move faster," he shouted out, hitting at her several +times. + +As long as he only struck her dress, Fanny did not mind, but when the +young tyrant, leaning forward, began to beat her on the shoulders, she +turned round and declared that she would go no farther if he did so +again. + +"But I will make you," he answered; "go on, I say." + +Fanny stopped, and again told him not to use his stick as he was doing. + +"Well, go on and you will see," he said, letting his stick hang out +behind the carriage, for he was afraid that she would take it from him. + +Fanny once more began to drag the carriage forward, but she had not got +far when she felt the stick on her shoulders. + +"You are not going fast enough to please me," cried Norman. + +"I told you that I would not draw you at all if you hit me, and you have +done so notwithstanding," said Fanny, feeling very angry. + +"You cannot leave me out here by myself, so you must drag me home," said +Norman, "and I am determined that you shall go as fast as I like." + +"Home we will go, then," answered Fanny, and, turning the carriage +round, she began to return by the way they had come. + +Norman seemed determined to make her angry, for after they had gone a +little way he again hit her with the end of his stick. Suddenly turning +round, she snatched it from him, and, breaking it in two, threw it to a +distance. + +Norman was afraid of getting out, lest his sister should run off with +the carriage, and as she could not now be struck, she dragged it home as +fast as she could go. + +Mr Maclean seemed somewhat surprised to see his young friends return so +soon. + +Norman lost his excursion, and Fanny, in her kindness, thinking that he +was sufficiently punished, did not say how he had treated her. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +IN THE HIGHLANDS. + +"I hope you had a pleasant excursion, my dears, on the moor," said Mrs +Maclean, when they entered the house. + +"Oh, we had very good fun, and we should have had more if Fanny would +have gone farther," answered Norman. "She cannot stand jokes, and +because I just touched her with my stick she would not go on." + +Fanny cast a reproachful glance at Norman. She had determined not to +complain of him, and now he was trying to make it appear that he had +come back through her want of temper. This was very hard indeed to +bear, but she did not attempt to defend herself, for she knew that her +granny would be aware of the truth, and that satisfied her, and she was +unwilling to make her little brother appear to disadvantage in the eyes +of their hostess. + +"I shall be very happy to take Norman out again whenever he likes, and I +hope that I shall be able to draw him farther than I did to-day," she +said quietly. + +Mrs Maclean was a very kind lady, an old friend of their granny's, and +Fanny thought her very like her; she had the same quiet, but yet firm, +manner, and she seemed to take an interest in what she and Norman said +and did, and to be anxious to amuse them. + +Mr Maclean was a Highland gentleman who preferred spending his days +among his native moors and heathery hills, to living in a town and +mixing in the world. + +Norman whispered to Fanny that he thought he was an old farmer, when he +first saw him in his tartan shooting-coat and trowsers, with a bonnet on +his head, a plaid over his shoulders, and a thick stick in his hand. +Old as he was, however, he could walk many a mile over those heathery +hills he loved so well, and not only Norman, but Norman's papa, might +have had some difficulty in keeping up with him. He was as kind as Mrs +Maclean, and soon took a great fancy to Fanny; Norman discovered that, +somehow or other, he did not stand so well in his opinion. + +The laird, as he was called, now entered the room--"Well, young people, +you took but a short excursion to-day," he observed; "perhaps, Mistress +Fanny, you found the carriage rather heavy to drag, and if you have a +fancy for a row on the loch, as I am going down after luncheon to try +and catch a few trout for dinner, I shall be glad to take you with me." + +"Oh, thank you, Mr Maclean, I should so like to go," answered Fanny. +"May we, mamma? may we, granny?" + +Mrs Leslie and her mamma willingly gave their consent. + +"I must ask you to take care that Norman does not tumble into the water, +though," said Mrs Vallery. + +"I will make a line fast to the young gentleman's leg, and soon haul him +out again if he does," answered Mr Maclean, laughing. + +"I can take very good care of myself, thank you," said Norman; "but I +should like to see you catch some fish, if they are good big ones." + +"There are not finer in any loch in Scotland, but they will not always +rise to the fly," observed Mr Maclean. + +As soon as luncheon was over, the laird, carrying his rod and +fishing-basket, and accompanied by his two young friends, set off for +the loch. On their way they were joined by Sandy Fraser, a tall, thin, +old man, with grey hairs escaping from under his bonnet. Sandy had been +Mr Maclean's constant attendant from his boyhood, and had followed him +to many parts of the world which he had visited before he settled down +in his Highland home. + +On reaching the loch, they found a boat, and Sandy took the oars. The +two children were placed in the centre, Mr Maclean took his seat in the +stern, and Sandy rowed away towards the further end of the loch. On one +side the hills, with here and there bare, grey rocks appearing on their +steep sides, rose directly out of the water, and were reflected on its +calm surface. + +"Why, the hills are standing on their heads," exclaimed Norman, who for +the first time in his life had witnessed such a scene. + +Rowing on, they passed several pretty islands covered thickly with +trees, among which, Fanny said, she should like to have a hut and live +like Robinson Crusoe. + +"No, I should be Robinson Crusoe, and you should be Friday," exclaimed +Norman, who knew the story, as it was in one of Fanny's picture-books. + +"Young gentleman, you should be proud of working for your sister," +observed the laird, who was busy getting his fishing-tackle ready. "It +is far more manly to work for others, than to let others work for you." + +Norman held his tongue, for he had an opinion that he had better not +contradict the old gentleman as he was accustomed to do other persons. + +Fanny watched Mr Maclean with great curiosity, as, at length having +reached a spot where, the breeze playing over the surface, he expected +the fish to rise, he began to throw the little fly at the end of his +long line. Now he made it skim the water from one side to the other, +now he drew it towards him, always keeping it in motion, just as a real +fly would play over the surface. On a sudden there was a splash, and +for an instant the head of a fish was seen above the surface, and the +tip of the light rod bending, the line ran rapidly out of his reel. The +laird began at length to wind up the line, in vain the poor fish swam +here and there, it could not get the sharp hook out of its mouth. +Sandy, laying in his oars, got the landing-net ready. The rod was so +light that it could not have borne the weight of the fish, but by +putting the net beneath it he easily lifted it into the boat. + +"Oh, what a fine fish," exclaimed Fanny, as she examined the large loch +trout which had been caught; "what delicate colours it has! How +beautifully it is marked on the back!" + +"We must get a few more, though, to make up our dish," said Mr Maclean, +getting his line ready for another throw. + +A second unwary trout was soon caught, and a third, and a fourth. + +"I should like to fish too," exclaimed Norman. "Won't you let me have +your long stick and string, Mr Maclean? It seems very easy, and I am +sure I should soon catch some." + +The laird laughed heartily. + +"You are more likely to tumble into the water, and then we should have +to catch you, young gentleman," he answered. "It will take a good many +years before you can throw a fly, let me tell you." + +Norman was not convinced. + +"I'll get Sandy to row me out some day." + +"He is welcome to do that; but remember, you must not be tumbling +overboard." + +"I can take very good care of myself," answered Norman, folding his +arms, and trying to look very grand. + +A broad grin came over the countenance of Sandy, who knew enough of +English to understand him. He nodded to his master. + +"If he comes with me I will take gude care of the child, and maybe he +will catch a big trout some day; and you will come, young lady, and I +will teach you to catch fish too," he said, turning to Fanny. + +"Oh, I am sure I should not like to ran a hook into their mouths, it +must hurt them so dreadfully," answered Fanny. + +"They are given to us for food, my little girl," observed Mr Maclean, +"and most conscientiously I believe they suffer no real pain, and +although the instinct of self-preservation makes them wish to escape, I +doubt even whether they are frightened when they feel the hook in their +mouths." + +Still Fanny was incredulous, and thought she should never agree with the +laird on that point. + +"I do not care whether the fish are hurt or not if I want to catch +them," observed Norman, showing his usual indifference to the feelings +of others, whether human beings or animals. + +Fanny enjoyed the row very much, and thanked Sandy for offering to take +her and Norman out. + +They reached home in time to have the trout dressed for dinner, and the +laird insisted that the children should come down, and partake of some +of the fish which they, as he said, had assisted to catch. + +The laird was fond of the study of natural history, and narrated a +number of anecdotes especially of the sagacity of animals. + +"Fanny and I have a difference of opinion as to whether fish when caught +do or do not feel pain," he observed. "I remember reading an anecdote +which, if true, supports what she thinks. A surgeon was one day walking +by the side of a pond in a gentleman's grounds in England, when he saw a +large pike, which had struck its head against a piece of iron projecting +from a sunken log, and was struggling in the water close to the bank. +The fish did not attempt to swim away, nor did it seem alarmed, when the +surgeon stooped down, and lifted it gently out of the water. He at once +saw that the jaw of the fish had been broken, and with his penknife and +some strips of wood and linen, which he had in his pocket, he +dexterously managed to bind up the jaw, after doing which, he placed the +fish in the water. It did not even then swim away, but as long as he +remained on the bank, kept watching him attentively. + +"The next day, going down to the pond what was his surprise to see the +fish swim towards him, and poke his head out of the water. He perceived +that some of the bandaging had been displaced, and lifting the fish as +before gently on the bank he dressed the wound, and again returned it to +its native element. As he walked along the bank, the fish swam by his +side, and not till he turned his back, did it dart off into deep water. + +"The following day, he again went down to the pond, when the fish swam +up to where he stood, though it did no more than come to the edge, being +apparently satisfied that its wound was going on well. As long as he +remained in the place, the fish invariably appeared whenever he went to +the pond, and swam close to the edge, as he walked along the bank. + +"I must confess that that fish must have had as much sense as many other +animals, and probably felt more pain when injured, and would have been +alarmed, if it had been attacked, or had found a hook in its jaws." + +"But is the story really true?" asked Fanny. + +"It is at all events as well authenticated as many other anecdotes," +answered the laird. "By-the-by, Mrs Vallery, I should like to witness +the performances of the snake-charmers in India. Have you ever seen +them?" + +"Frequently," answered Mrs Vallery. "They are very wonderful, and my +husband has taken some pains to ascertain whether there is any +imposture, but without success. They profess to charm the Cobra de +Capella and other snakes, which are excessively venomous, and abound in +all the hotter parts of the country. It is said, indeed, that 12,000 +natives are killed annually by bites from them. The snake-charmers do +not previously train the snakes, but will charm those only just caught, +quite as well as those they carry about with them. + +"They use for this purpose, a hollow gourd on which they play a buzzing +music. On one occasion, three men appeared, dressed only in their +turbans and waist cloths, in which it was impossible they could have +concealed any snakes. My husband took them to some wild ground, where +they speedily caught a couple of large cobras, and returning with the +venomous creatures having placed them on the ground, made them rear up +their bodies, and raise and bow their heads, keeping exact time with the +music. After they had ceased, my husband speedily killed the snakes, +and on examining them the poison fangs were found to be perfect. +Generally, however, the snake-charmers either extract the fangs of the +snakes they carry about with them, or wisely employ those which are +harmless. They allow the creatures to crawl over their bodies, and +twist and twine themselves in the most horrible manner round their necks +and arms, and I have seen a snake putting its forked tongue into its +master's mouth. + +"There are instances, however, of the venomous serpents biting the +snake-charmers, who have thus lost their lives. + +"At one of the stations where my husband was quartered, snakes were very +numerous, and we used to keep a mongoose in the house to destroy them. +It is a pretty little animal, a species of ichneumon with catlike habits +and a very prying disposition. The common idea is, that if bitten by a +venomous serpent, it runs to find a particular herb, which prevents the +venom taking effect. This, however, is not really the case, the +mongoose depends upon its own vigilance and great agility for escaping +from the fangs of even the most active serpent, for if bitten, it would +die like any other animal. + +"I should not like to see men allowing snakes to put their tongues in +their mouths, even though I knew that the fangs had been taken out," +observed Fanny. "But I should like to see the jugglers you were +speaking of, mamma, who performed such wonderful tricks." + +"I was mentioning the Indian gipsies or Nutts, as they are called, who +travel as those in England used to do, from one end of the country to +the other, and appear to have no settled home. A party arrived one day +at our station, and offered to exhibit their tricks, and your papa gave +them leave to do so. + +"There were among them several persons of all ages. First an old man +took his seat on the ground and began violently beating a drum, shouting +out that we should soon see what we should see. Meantime a young man +and a boy had fixed firmly in the ground a bamboo nearly thirty feet +high, and while thus engaged, another man singing in a monotonous voice, +was running round and round it. Presently a woman who was standing by, +leaped on the shoulder of the running man, who did not stop, but +continued his course as before, rapidly increasing his speed. In +another minute she had leaped on his head, and there she stood with +perfect steadiness, while he ran still faster, and the old man beat the +drum louder and louder, shrieking all the time, even more shrilly than +before, till the noise became almost deafening. + +"While our senses were somewhat bewildered by the sound, the boy ran up +to the running man with a large earthen pot, which the latter in a +wonderful way placed on his head; the woman having, I suppose, in the +meantime put her feet on his shoulders, for before I could follow her +movements she appeared standing on the top of the pot, the man still +running round as before. + +"The man who had been fixing the pole in the earth, now advanced, and +taking up a heavy stone ball which it would have required a strong man +to lift even a few inches from the ground, began playing with it, +catching it now on one shoulder, now on the other, then in his hands, +and on his arms and feet. Next he threw up two ivory balls, quickly +adding others in succession, till there were no less than eight kept in +motion at the same time, flying up in the air. + +"The first party, who had in the meantime been resting, now arranged a +flat circular brass dish, of considerable size, on which were placed +four pillars about three inches high. These were connected by four +sticks, with other sticks above them, and then more pillars, and so on, +till there were fully thirty pillars one above another, with a brass +dish on the top of all. We thought it surprising that this structure +could stand as it did, but greater was our amazement to see it lifted on +the man's head while he was circling round the post, and still more +astonished were we, when the woman sprang like lightning up in the air +and stood on the top of all, as steadily as if she was on the ground, +while the man continued rapidly circling round. + +"After this, one of the men leaped on the shoulders of the other, who +was standing close to the pole, and then the woman making use of them as +a ladder, sprang to the very top of the pole, on the point of which she +lay in a horizontal position, when one of the men who had followed her, +touching her foot, she began to spin round and round, like the card of a +pocket compass on its point. + +"The men performed a variety of other tricks, but those I have mentioned +are the most wonderful. + +"Here was no room for deception, though many of the tricks performed by +Indian jugglers are really the result of clever sleight-of-hand." + +"I think I would rather see the tricks which the conjuror did when we +went to the Egyptian Hall last year with granny," said Fanny; "I never +like to look at people who are doing things by which if they make a +mistake they may hurt themselves. I should not like to have seen +Blondin, and the other people we read of in the newspapers, who run +along tight ropes high up in the air." + +"I should think them very foolish for their pains, and wish them a +better mode of gaining their livelihood," observed Mr Maclean, "and I +agree with Fanny. A sailor has to climb the rigging of his ship, but +then he goes in the way of duty, and when people mount in balloons, they +have generally a scientific object in view, or some reason to offer. +But in my opinion, the rest of the world should keep their feet on the +earth as long as they can." + +Even Norman, was interested in this conversation, and declared that he +recollected the performances of the jugglers which his mamma spoke of. +He then described several scenes which he had witnessed in India, in a +very clear way. + +"You have got a head on your shoulders, young gentleman," observed the +laird; "I only hope you have got your heart in its right place." + +Mrs Leslie sighed, for she was afraid that her little grandson had been +so long allowed to have his own way, that though his heart might be in +its right place, as the common expression is, it was sadly choked up +with the bad seed of weeds, which were already beginning to sprout The +next day was rainy, and neither Fanny nor Norman could go out. He +behaved himself tolerably well in the drawing-room, but when they were +at play together, he ordered her about in his usual dictatorial manner, +and said several things which greatly tried her temper. + +"Although he is so forward in many things, and talks so well, he is but +a little boy after all," she thought; "it is, however, easy to feel +amiable and good when I am not opposed, but I ought to try and be so, +notwithstanding all he says and does." + +The following day was bright and fine, and as Sandy could not take them, +out in the boat, the laird asked Fanny and Norman whether they would +like to make another excursion with the carriage. "Oh yes! I shall +like it very much," exclaimed Norman. "Please cut me another long +stick, for Fanny broke the one you gave me the other day." + +Fanny did not say why she broke it, so the laird cut another long thin +wand, and gave it to Norman. + +"Ah, this will make my horse go on at a good quick pace," he observed, +flourishing it. "I won't ask you to drag me up the hill, because you +can't," he said to Fanny, "so if you will pull, I'll push behind." + +"That is very right of you," observed the laird, as his young friends +set off on their excursion. "He is a fine little fellow, though too +much addicted to boasting." + +Fanny, with Norman pushing behind, soon dragged the carriage up the +hill. He then declared that he was tired, and getting in told her to +move on. + +As the ground was tolerably smooth, she was able to do so at a speed +which satisfied the young gentleman. + +"Capital," he cried out, flourishing his stick, "my horse draws fast, go +on, go on; now see if you can't gallop." + +Fanny exerted herself to the utmost, and the air being pure and fresh +she felt in good spirits. + +The ground after some time became rather rougher, but Norman did not +mind the bumping and thumping of the carriage, though it was much harder +work for Fanny. + +She at last began to go slower. + +"Can't you keep it up," he cried out. "If you do not! Remember I have +got my stick!" + +"You must also remember how I treated you the last time," said Fanny, +"and if you use your stick as you did then, I will leave you in the +carriage and run away." + +"You had better not," said Norman. "You promised to take care of me. +Mamma will be angry if you leave me on the moor all alone by myself." + +"Very well, do not beat me with your stick, and I will drag you on as +fast as I can," said Fanny. + +Norman remembering that Fanny had broken his stick before, thought it +would be wise not to tempt her to do so again, and therefore, though he +continued to flourish it, and now and then to touch her frock, he did +not venture to beat her. + +Fanny went on contentedly, sometimes turning round to speak to him and +sometimes stopping to rest. As the ground looked smoother to the right, +Fanny turned off from the main track and went towards a clump of trees +which she saw in the distance, knowing that it would serve as a guide to +her and believing she could easily find her way back again. + +On and on they went--Norman was delighted. + +"This is great fun; I wonder where we shall get to at last," he said, +when Fanny again stopped to rest. "I think it will be soon time, +however, to go back again," she observed, "for though Mr Maclean told +us we could come to no harm on the moor, we might lose our way if we +went very far." + +Norman urged her to go on. + +"I see a cottage a little way off between the trees, let us go as far as +that, and then we can turn back," he said. + +Fanny wished to please him and though she already felt a little tired, +she thought there would be no difficulty in reaching the cottage, and +that she would like to talk to the people who lived in it. At length, +however, the ground became rougher than ever, and they soon came to a +shallow burn or stream which made its way from the higher part of the +moor, and went winding along till it fell into the loch below. + +"I am afraid we must turn back now at all events," she said, "I shall +never be able to drag the carriage over this rough ground and across the +stream, so we must go back and give up visiting the cottage." + +"Oh no, no! go on," cried Norman, "you can easily cross the water, it is +scarcely above the soles of your shoes and see there are some big stones +on which you can tread while you drag the carriage along on one side of +them." + +"I think I could do that if you were not in it," said Fanny, "I must not +let you, however, run the risk of wetting your feet; mamma objects to +that as she is afraid of your catching cold. If you will cling round my +neck, I will carry you across in my arms, and then I will go back and +get the carriage." + +"That will do very well," said Norman. "Lift me up! Be quick about it, +and we shall soon be across." + +Fanny dragging the carriage to the edge of the stream took up Norman, +and though he was a heavy weight for her to carry, still she thought +that she could take him across in safety. She had to tread very +carefully and slowly as the stream though shallow was wide and the +stones uneven. + +They had not gone many paces when Norman declared that she did not move +fast enough. + +"If I attempt to move faster I may let you fall," she answered. + +"You had better not do that or mamma will be angry with you, and I am +sure if you chose you could go faster than you are doing. Come, move +on, move on," cried out the young tyrant, nourishing his stick, and +ungrateful little boy that he was, he began to beat Fanny with it +knowing that she dare not let him fall. + +"Keep quiet, Norman," she exclaimed, "it is very naughty of you! You +will make me let you drop, though I should be very sorry to do so." + +Norman looked wickedly in her face, and only hit her harder. + +As he was flourishing his stick, he knocked off her hat--she caught it, +however, but in doing so she very nearly let him drop into the water. +Still, though she begged and begged him to be quiet, he continued +beating her, till after considerable exertions she reached dry ground in +safety, and gladly put him down. + +"Now, Norman," she exclaimed, "what do you deserve?" + +"I do not care what I deserve, but I know that you had better not slap +my face, for mamma was angry with you when you did so before, and papa +says he won't allow anybody to beat me but himself, so just go and get +the carriage as you said you would. You must not leave it there, +somebody will run away with it, and I shall have to walk all the way +home." + +"Very well, do you stay where you are, and I will go and bring it +across," said Fanny. + +Norman agreed to stop, and Fanny went back carefully making her way over +the stepping-stones. She found the task of dragging the carriage across +without stepping into the water much greater than she had expected. +Norman shouted to her to make haste. + +"I am doing my best, and cannot go faster," she answered. + +"If you are not quicker I will stay here no longer," answered Norman. + +Without stopping to see whether she did move faster, off he ran. + +At that moment poor Fanny's foot slipped, and before she could regain +her balance, down she fell into the stream. In doing so she hurt her +arm, and wet her clothes almost all over. Norman, instead of coming to +help her, laughed heartily at her misfortune, and scampered away crying +out, "It served you light, you should have come faster when I told you." + +Poor Fanny felt very much inclined to cry with vexation, but knowing +that that would do no good, she managed to scramble up again, and as her +feet were wet, she stepped on through the water, and soon got the +carriage to the other side of the stream. As Norman did not come back +to her, she ran after him, dragging it on. + +"Norman! Norman!" she cried out, but instead of coming back, he made +his way towards the cottage. + +She had nearly overtaken him just as they had got close to it, when the +door opened, and an old man appeared, followed by a little fair-haired +child, much younger than Norman. + +"What is the matter?" asked the old man, eyeing the two children whose +voices he had heard. + +"My young brother ran away from me, and I tumbled down and wet my +frock," answered Fanny. + +"Come in, then, and dry yourself," said the old man. + +"But I have wet my stockings and shoes," said Fanny, "and they will take +a long time to dry." + +"I shall be happy to have your company, my pretty lassie, as long as you +like to stay," said the old man. "I ken ye are staying with Glen +Tulloch and ony of his friends are welcome here." + +"We are staying with Mr Maclean," answered Fanny, "and were making an +excursion over the moor, when we saw your cottage, and thought we should +like to visit you." + +"We call Mr Maclean Glen Tulloch about here, as that's the name of his +house," answered the old man. "Come in! come in! We will soon get your +wet shoes and stockings off, though I am afraid you must sit without any +while they are drying, for Robby there has never had a pair to his feet, +and my old slippers are too large for you, I have a notion." + +Fanny observed that though the old man used a few Scotch expressions, he +spoke English perfectly. His dress, too, was more like that of a sailor +than the costume worn by the surrounding peasantry. + +Norman, who had also come into the house, stood while they were +speaking, eyeing the little boy, without saying anything. At last, +looking up at the old man, he asked, "Is that your son?" + +"No, young gentleman, he is my grandson," was the answer, "he is the +only one alive of all my family, and I am to him as father and mother, +and nurse and playmate. Am I not, Robby?" + +"Yes, grandfather," answered the child, looking up affectionately at the +old man, "I do not want any one to play with but you." + +"Would you not like a ride in our little carriage?" asked Fanny. "As +soon as my shoes and stockings are dry I shall be happy to draw you." + +Robby nodded his head, and came near to Fanny. + +"Would you not like to go out and play with the young gentleman?" asked +the old man. + +"I do not want him," said Norman haughtily; "I am not accustomed to play +with little brats of that sort." + +"Oh, Norman, how can you say that?" exclaimed Fanny, very much annoyed. + +"Is he your brother, young lady?" asked the old man, looking with a +pitying eye on Norman, but not at all angry. + +"Yes," said Fanny. + +"I should not have thought it. There is a wide difference between you, +I see." + +Fanny did not quite understand him. + +Norman sat himself down on a stool in the corner of the room, and folded +his arms in the fashion which he adopted when he wished to be dignified. + +"You have come a long way from Glen Tulloch, young lady, and I must see +you safe back, for your young brother I have a notion is not likely to +be much help to you," said the old man; "Robby, though he is very small, +is accustomed to take care of the house, for I often have to leave him +by himself." + +Fanny thanked him, for, recollecting the difficulties she encountered in +coming, she felt somewhat anxious about the homeward journey, especially +as Norman had behaved so ill, and very likely would continue in his +present mood. + +Her stockings were soon dry, but her boots took longer, and were +somewhat stiff when she put them on. They were some which her mamma had +brought her from Paris, and were not very well suited for walking in the +Highlands. + +"I am afraid I have nothing to offer you to eat suitable to your taste, +young lady," said the old man, "though you must be hungry after your +long journey. Robby and I live on `brose' to our breakfast, dinner, and +supper, but will you just take a cup of milk? it was fresh this morning, +and you may want it after your walk." + +Fanny gladly accepted the old man's offer, and then looked at Norman. + +The cup of milk greatly restored her. The old man, without saying a +word, brought another and offered it to Norman. + +The young gentleman took it without scarcely saying thank you. Again, +the old man cast a look of compassion on him. + +"Poor boy," he said quietly, "he kens no better." + +Robby bad in the meantime run out, and was admiring the carriage by +himself, thinking how much he should like to have it to drag about, and +to bring the meal home in, instead of allowing his grandfather to carry +it on his back. + +Fanny was curious all the time, to learn something more about their +host. He was evidently different to the other people around, and it +seemed so strange that he and the little boy should be living together +in that lone cottage on the wild moor. But she did not like to ask him +questions, and as he did not offer to say anything more about himself +than he had done, she restrained her curiosity intending to ask Mr +Maclean more about him when she got home. + +At last her clothes, and boots, and stockings being dry, she told the +old man that she thought it was time to begin their homeward journey. + +"As you wish, young lady," he answered, and accompanied her and Norman +out of the cottage. They found Robby at the door, looking at the +carriage. + +"Oh, you must get in," said Fanny, "and I will draw you. My brother can +walk very well some of the way." + +"Thank you, young lady," said the old man; "if you will let Robby have a +ride, I will draw the carriage, and let him come a little way, but he +must go back, and look after the house, and it would be over far for him +to return, if he came with us to Glen Tulloch." + +Norman looked very angry when Robby got into the carriage, and he +himself had to walk, but he dared not complain, as there was something +in the old man's manner which made him stand in awe of him. + +After they had gone a short distance, his grandfather told Robby to run +back, and thanking Fanny, invited Norman to get in. The young gentleman +did so, but he did not use his stick, as he had done when Fanny was +dragging him. + +They easily crossed the stream, and Fanny was surprised to find how soon +they reached the top of the hill near Glen Tulloch. + +"Now, young lady, you can easily take the carriage home, so I will wish +you good-bye," said the old man; "I hope you will come soon again--it +does my heart good to see you." Fanny promised, if she was allowed, +soon again to pay him a visit, and wishing him good-bye, while he +strolled back over the moor, she dragged the carriage down the hill. +She met the laird setting out to look for her and Norman. + +"Why, my bonny lassie, the ladies were afraid that you had wandered away +over the moor and lost yourselves, you have been so long away, and they +sent me off to try and find you." + +Fanny, without blaming Norman, told him of their adventure in the +stream, and their meeting with the old man and his little grandson in +the lone hut on the moor. + +"Ah, that was old Alec Morrison," observed the laird. "His is a sad +history, I will tell it you by-and-by, but come along home and satisfy +the ladies that you are not lost." + +"I am very glad you have come back at last, Fanny, we were getting +anxious about you," said Mrs Vallery. "I must not allow you to make +excursions with Norman unless you can manage to come back with him in +good time." + +"I will try and manage better another time, mamma," she said, looking up +after a minute's silence. "I should very much like to pay another visit +to the old man who was so kind to us, and to take something for his +little grandson. Poor little fellow, I pity him so much having to live +out on a wild moor, where there are no other children to play with him. +His grandfather says he often leaves him alone in the cottage by +himself." + +"I cannot promise positively to let you go," said Mrs Vallery, "but I +am sure that you will do your best to return in good time. I hope to be +able to do so, and I should wish you to take something for the poor +little child you speak of." + +"Thank you, mamma," said Fanny, kissing Mrs Vallery affectionately, and +forgetting all about the way Norman had treated her, she ran off to +prepare for tea. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +LEARNING TO FISH. + +The next morning while they were at breakfast, Fanny asked the laird to +tell her something about Alec Morrison, the old man who had been so kind +to her and her brother the previous day. + +"I can only give you the outline of his history, but perhaps you may get +him to narrate some of the many adventures he has gone through," he +answered. + +"He was born not far from this, and his mother was a shepherd's only +daughter. His father who belonged also to this neighbourhood, when +quite a young man had driven some cattle to a seaport town when he got +pressed on board a man-of-war, and had sailed away to a foreign station, +before he could let his friends know what had become of him, or take any +steps to obtain his liberation. He had promised to marry Jennie Dow, +whom he truly loved, and had hoped soon to save enough by his industry +to set up house. + +"Years and years passed by during which Jennie, who would not believe +that he was dead, remained faithful to him. Her father was getting old, +and her friends advised her to secure a home for herself. She replied +that it would be time enough to do so when her father was dead, and that +as long as he lived, she would stay and look after him. + +"At length, on the evening of a summer's day, a one-armed man in a +sailor's dress approached the door. He looked ill and hungry and tired. +He stopped and asked for a cup of milk and a bit of bannock. + +"`I will pay for both, gladly,' he said, `and be thankful besides, for +without some food I feel scarcely able to get on even to the village +where, if the friends I once had there are still alive, I am sure to get +a night's lodging and to learn about others, though may be they have +forgotten me long ago.' + +"`Come in and sit down, old friend,' said the shepherd, and Jennie +placed a cup of milk and a bannock on the table. + +"As she did so she cast an inquiring glance at the face of the stranger. + +"`Who are you, friend?' asked Alec Dow. `I am as likely as any one to +tell you of the people in these parts.' + +"`I am sure it must be,' exclaimed Jennie, coming forward and placing +her hand on the stranger's shoulder. `Don't you know me, Alec +Morrison?' + +"`O Jennie, I thought you must be married long ago!' exclaimed the +sailor, jumping to his feet, `for I could not think that you would have +remembered me. And can you care for me now--a battered old hulk as I +am, with one arm and half-a-dozen bullets through me, besides I don't +know how many cutlass cuts and wounds from pikes?' + +"`I have never ceased to hope that you would return,' was Jennie's +answer. + +"As his daughter was the only being the old shepherd loved, he allowed +her to marry the wounded sailor, who took up his abode with them, and +served him faithfully till he died. + +"Times went hard with Jennie and her husband, for Morrison's +constitution was shattered, and he could not work as hard as he wished. +They had one son, Alec, who grew up a fine manly boy. The sailor was +fond of spinning yarns, to which his son listened with rapt attention, +and longed to meet with the same adventures as his father. + +"The boy was little more than twelve years old when his sailor father +died from the wounds he had received fighting his country's battles. + +"Though his thoughts often wandered away over the wide ocean which he +had never yet seen, young Alec dutifully did his best to assist his +mother, but she did not long survive her husband, and he was left an +orphan. + +"It would have been a hard matter for him living all alone to have made +a livelihood, so he sold two of his heifers to obtain an outfit, and +leaving the remainder as well as his cottage in charge of a relative of +his father's, he started off to the nearest seaport. He had no +difficulty in finding a ship, for he was as likely a lad as a captain +could wish to have on board. + +"He sailed away to foreign lands, to the East and West Indies, +Australia, and the wide Pacific, and though he may have visited English +ports in the meantime, many a long year passed before he again saw the +home of his youth. + +"He at length came back with a young wife, and some money in his pocket. +He had undoubtedly pictured in his imagination his cottage on the wild +moor as an earthly paradise, and had described it as such to his wife. +When she saw it, she expressed a very different opinion, and complained +of the wretched hovel and savage region to which he had brought her. +Poor Alec told her with all sincerity that he had believed it to be very +different to what he owned it really was. He promised to take her back +to the town where her father lived, although in order to support her he +must again go to sea. His relation was an honest man and promised to +take charge of his property as before, for Alec would not sell it, and +leaving his young wife he once more went to sea. + +"On his return from his first voyage, he found that she was dead, and +had left behind her a daughter. He had still the little damsel to work +for, and so the brave sailor placed her under charge of her grandmother, +and again sailed away over the ocean. + +"His thoughts often wandered back to his little daughter for whose +benefit he was enduring hardships and dangers--twice he was wrecked, and +many years passed by before he again got home, and found his daughter no +longer a little child but a full-grown woman, and as ready I am afraid +to spend the old sailor's money as her mother had been. He had not, +however, much to give her, and so in a short time off to sea he went +again to get more. Next time he came back feeling that this voyage must +be the last, for he was getting too old to endure the hardships of a +life on the ocean, he found his daughter married to a sailor. Her +husband had soon to go away to sea, and shortly afterwards news came +that his fine ship had foundered, and all on board had perished. His +poor young wife was heart-broken at the news, and not many weeks +afterwards she was taken away, leaving her little boy who was born at +the time to the charge of her father. Her mother's family were all +dead, and Alec Morrison found himself alone in the world with his little +grandson Robby, and possessed of but scanty means of support. He had +just money enough to bring him to his old home in the Highlands. + +"His cousin though a poor man had done his best to keep the cottage in +repair, and to preserve a few head of cattle which he handed over to +him. + +"The old sailor took up his abode with little Robby in the cottage, +hoping with the small plot of ground surrounding it and his cattle to +obtain the means of supporting himself and his grandson. He, often, I +fear has a difficulty in doing so, but he never complains, and +recollecting how he lived as a boy, often I believe fancies himself one +again. + +"He employs his spare time in taming birds and making cages for them, +and in cutting models of vessels and boats, and manufacturing other +articles; indeed, I believe he is never idle, and seems as contented and +happy as if he had been prosperous all his life, and never met with a +misfortune. + +"There, I have told you all I know about old Alec and his ancestors and +descendants--four generations if I reckon rightly. I daresay as I +before said, if you ask him that he will be happy to narrate some of the +many adventures he has met with during his voyages. I suspect that he +often, while enjoying his pipe, tells them to Robby as he sits on his +knee during the long winter evenings, though the little fellow must be +puzzled to understand whereabouts they take place, unless he knows more +about geography than probably is the case." + +"Thank you, Mr Maclean," exclaimed Fanny, "I long to see old Alec +again, after the account you have given us of him; I feel so sorry for +him that he should have lost his father and mother, his wife and +daughter, and all the money he has gained with so much toil and +hardship, and now to be compelled to live alone with a little child to +look after." + +"I am very sure he thinks the little child a great blessing, and would +much rather have it than be without its companionship," observed Mrs +Leslie. "From the account you gave of the boy, he is very intelligent +and obedient." + +"Oh yes!" answered Fanny, "he seems to understand what his grandfather +wishes him to do, and does it immediately. When he was sent back, +before going he sprang up into the old man's arms, and gave him a kiss, +and then ran off across the moor singing merrily." + +"I thought him a stupid little brat," muttered Norman. "When I ran out +while you were drying your clothes, Fanny, and told him to draw me about +in the carriage, he said that he could not till he had asked his +grandfather's leave, as he had to run after one of the cows which was +straying further than she ought." + +"That, instead of showing that he is stupid, proves that he is sensible +and obedient, and I wish that another little boy I know of, was equally +sensible and obedient," observed Mrs Leslie, looking at Norman. + +Norman tried to appear unconcerned, but he knew very well that his +grandmamma alluded to him. + +"I will make him do what I want, the next time I go there," said Norman, +but he took care that Mrs Leslie should not hear him. + +The account which Fanny had heard, made her eager to set off that +morning to visit the old sailor and his grandchild. + +"May we have the carriage, Mr Maclean?" she asked. "I should so like +to take little Robby some toys, or picture-books, or fruit, or something +that he would like it would make him happy, and, I hope, please the old +man." + +"We shall be very glad to give you some things to take," said Mrs +Maclean, "and though I do not think we have any toys, we may find some +picture-books, at all events we can send some fruit and cakes which will +be welcome." + +"Oh, thank you, thank you," exclaimed Fanny, "if we go as soon as we +have had our reading, we shall be back by luncheon-time, and now I think +I know the way too well to run the risk of losing it." + +"You must take care not to tumble into the water again though," said +Mrs Vallery. + +"I will take care not to do that, mamma; indeed, there is no risk of it, +as old Alec showed us a safe way across the stream, and I can easily +carry Norman over, so that there will be no chance either of his +tumbling in, if he does not kick about while I have him in my arms." + +"Will you behave properly, and do as your sister tells you?" asked Mrs +Vallery, turning to Norman. + +"I always behave properly," answered the young gentleman, looking +indignant at the idea of his ever doing otherwise. + +"Norman will be very good I am sure," said Fanny, fearing that any +difficulty might arise to prevent the intended excursion. + +Just as they left the breakfast-room, however, Sandy Fraser came to the +door. + +"It's a fine day for the young folks to take a row on the loch, and so I +just came up to see if they were willing to go," he said, as he pulled +off his bonnet and wished the laird and ladies good morning. + +"Oh, I shall like that much better than bumping over the moor in the +little cart," exclaimed Norman. "Fanny, I am going with Sandy Fraser on +the loch, and you can pay your visit to old Alec and his stupid little +grandson another day. It will be much better fun to row about on the +water, and I will take a rod and line, and I am sure I shall catch I +don't know how many fish in a short time." + +These remarks were not heard by the rest of the party. + +"Mamma, do let me go with Sandy Fraser," exclaimed Norman, as Mrs +Vallery appeared from the breakfast-room. "Fanny does not care about +the trip over the moor I am sure, and we shall both like a row in the +boat much better." + +"In that case, as Sandy has come up for you, I certainly would rather +you accompanied him," said Mrs Vallery, and going to the door without +waiting to hear what Fanny had to say on the subject, she told Sandy +that the children would soon be ready, if Mr Maclean approved of their +going. + +"That's jolly," cried Norman. "Mr Maclean can you lend me one of your +rods? I want to catch some fish for you." + +"You would find it a hard matter even to hold one," answered the laird, +"but I will get a long thin stick cut, which you will be able to manage +better than one of my rods. And let me advise you to sit quiet in the +boat, and do what Sandy tells you, or you will get into mischief. If +you promise me this you may go." + +"Oh yes, I promise to sit quiet," answered Norman, "and you may be sure +I will not get into mischief." + +Fanny though she liked going on the water, would much rather have paid a +visit to old Alec, but she was always ready to give up her wishes to +please others, and as Norman seemed so eager to take a row in the boat, +she agreed to accompany him. + +Sandy undertook to dig for some worms for bait, and to cut a rod. When +he brought it back, Mr Maclean fastened a line with a float and a hook +to it. + +"There, young gentleman, you are fitted out as an angler," he observed, +as he gave it him. "Would you like a very large basket to bring back +your fish in, or will a small one do?" + +"I think I had better take a large one," answered Norman. "Fanny can +carry it down to the boat, and Sandy and I will bring it back slung on a +thick stick when it's full of fish." + +The laird laughed heartily. "You must not blame your fishing-rod if you +are not successful, for you will catch quite as many with it, as you +would were I to lend you one of mine," he observed. "Now good-bye, and +remember your promise to behave properly, and Sandy will do his part in +looking after you." + +Fanny came down ready to set off. + +While she walked on by the side of the old man, Norman frequently +started ahead, flourishing his fishing-rod in the way he had seen Mr +Maclean flourish his, and eager to begin drawing in the fish he expected +to catch. + +They soon reached the boat. + +"Now, Miss Fanny, do you sit in the stern, and Master Norman, you keep +by me in the middle of the boat, and take care that you do not hook your +sister when you are whisking about your rod. We will gang to the end of +the loch first, where I promised to take you, and then you can begin to +fish on the way back." + +"But why should I not begin to fish at once?" exclaimed Norman. "That's +what I want to do, I do not care about the scenery." + +"But the young lady maybe does," observed Sandy, "and I wish to do what +she likes best." + +"But I want to fish, I say," exclaimed Norman. "Why cannot I begin +while the boat is going on? I wish you would put some bait on my hook, +for I don't like to touch the nasty worms--then you will see how soon I +shall catch a fish." + +Sandy gave a broad grin, as he put on a worm, and then throwing the line +into the water, let Norman hold his stick, while he again took the oars, +and rowed slowly along towards the end of the loch. + +Fanny sat in the stern of the boat, looking like a bright little fairy-- +admiring the scenery, even more than she did on her first excursion with +the laird. She wished that Norman could admire it too, but he kept his +eye on the float, thinking much more of the fish he expected to catch +than of the mountains and rocks and tree-covered islets. + +"I am so very much obliged to you for bringing us," she said to Sandy. +"This is indeed very beautiful." + +"Oh yes, its very braw," answered Sandy,--but she could obtain no +further expression of admiration from him, for having lived near the +loch nearly all his life, he saw nothing very remarkable about it. + +"I wonder whether there is any other place equal to this in all +Scotland," exclaimed Fanny, after they had gone a little further, and +had come in sight of a deep valley opening up on one side, down which a +sparkling stream rushed impetuously into the loch, while a waterfall +came leaping down from rock to rock among the trees which clothed the +valley's side, now appearing, now concealed from sight by the +overhanging foliage. + +"Oh yes!" answered Sandy, "there are mony streams and lochs in the +He'lands, but ye maun gang far to find one with fish bigger than swim in +Loch Tulloch." + +"But I was speaking of the scenery," said Fanny, "I dinna ken much about +that," said Sandy, not exactly understanding her. + +Still Fanny continued to make her remarks, and to utter exclamations of +delight, and Sandy was at all events satisfied that she was well +pleased. + +"I wish you would not talk so much, Fanny," cried Norman. "I have been +fishing away for I don't know how long, and I have not caught anything +yet, and I am sure it is all your fault. You frighten the fish away." + +"Unless the fish come to the top of the water, they are not likely to +bite at your hook," she replied, "for I have seen it floating there, +ever since Sandy began to row." + +"Can't you stop rowing then, and let me catch some fish," exclaimed +Norman, turning round with an aggrieved look to the old man. "It +matters much more that I should catch fish, than that we should get to +the end of the loch just to please Fanny." + +"I have no objection to stop rowing if you wish it, young gentleman," +said Sandy, "though I would rather hear you say that you wanted to +please your sister more than yourself." + +Norman did not heed the rebuke, but seeing his hook sink down fully +believed that he was going to catch a fish. He waited and waited with +unusual patience for him, but still his float rested without moving on +the calm waters. + +"There are no fish here, young gentleman, that have a fancy for your +hook. We will go on to the end of the loch as I promised your sister, +and try what we can do when we come back. Just sit down and let your +line hang out if you like. There will be no harm in doing that, though +the fish may not be the worse for it." + +As Sandy began to move his oars, Norman was obliged to do as he was +told. He looked very sulky and angry however, and would not even answer +Fanny when she spoke to him. + +At last they reached the end of the loch. Here the mountain appeared to +be cloven in two--a narrow channel running at the bottom of the gorge +and uniting Loch Tulloch to another larger loch beyond. Fanny was +delighted, especially when Sandy poling the boat along proceeded onwards +till the loch and bright sunshine being left behind, they found +themselves in the gloom of the narrow gorge with lofty cliffs arching +overhead, so that when they looked up, all they could see was a narrow +strip of blue sky above them. + +"We cannot go further," said Sandy, "for some big rocks stop the +passage, or I would take you a row through a larger loch than our ain. +If you stand up you can just see its blue waters shining brightly at the +head of the gorge." + +"I want to go back and begin fishing," cried Norman, in an angry tone, +"we are wasting our time here." + +"Yours is very valuable time, young gentleman, I doubt not," remarked +Sandy, standing up in the bow of the boat, which having turned round, he +began to pole out by the way they had entered. + +They were soon again in the loch, which looked brighter and more +beautiful than ever after the gloom of the gorge. + +They had not gone far when Norman again insisted on stopping. + +"You promised that you would let me fish on our way back, and I am sure +there must be numbers about here," he said, throwing in his line. + +"I should not wonder that there was no worm on your hook," observed +Sandy, after they had waited some time. "I thought so," he continued, +when Norman pulled up his line; "you canna expect ony fish to bite at a +bare hook." + +"But put on another worm," said Norman, who again tried for some time +with equal want of success. + +He was beginning to lose patience. + +"Try deeper, young gentleman, fish swim further down than you think +for," observed Sandy. + +Norman did not know what he meant, and so Sandy slipped the float +considerably higher up the line. Still no fish were to be tempted by +his worm. + +"I wish you would make them bite," Norman exclaimed petulantly. "I +shall never catch anything with this stupid stick and string; Mr +Maclean ought to have lent me one of his own rods, and then I should +have caught some fish for him." + +Sandy who would never allow anything to be said against the laird in his +presence, felt very angry with Norman at this remark. + +"You are very ungrateful, young gentleman, to say that," he remarked. +"I have let you fish long enough already, though if you were to try till +nightfall, you would go back with your basket empty, so just draw in +your line and pit quiet, it's time to be making our way back." + +Norman looked somewhat surprised at this address. + +"It's all the fault of the stupid stick," he exclaimed, and standing up +he threw it away from him into the loch, and began dancing about to give +vent to his anger and disappointment. + +The old man rowed on, taking no notice of his foolish conduct. Fanny, +however, felt very much ashamed of him, and begged him to be quiet, but +he only jumped about the more, declaring that he would complain to his +mamma of the way Sandy had treated him. + +After he had thus given vent to his feelings for some time, and had +become more quiet, Sandy, who was really good-natured, and was sorry for +his disappointment, promised that if he would be a good boy, he would +take him out in the evening when the fish were more ready to bite, and +show him how he himself caught them. This pacified him, and he sat +quiet for some time. Still, as he thought how foolish he would look +going back with his big basket and no fish in it, he began again to grow +angry. + +"It's all Fanny's fault," he said to himself, "if she had not wanted to +row about the lake, I should have had time to catch some fish." + +Not knowing what was passing in his mind, Fanny, whose eyes fell on the +basket, laughingly said to Norman. + +"Shall I carry it home again, or will you and Sandy carry it between you +on a stick, as you proposed?" + +"Why do you say that?" exclaimed Norman, jumping up, "you are sneering +at me; you will go and tell them I daresay that I threw my rod into the +water." + +"Indeed, I will not," said Fanny, "I do not wish that any one should +laugh at you." + +"You are always laughing at me yourself," he answered, growing more +angry. "But I will keep you in order, you are but a girl, and girls +should always obey their brothers, that's what I think." + +"You are but a little boy, though you think yourself a big one," said +Fanny, somewhat nettled at the way he spoke. "I wish to be kind to you, +but I will not obey you, especially when you are angry, as you appear to +be now, without any cause that I can see." + +Fanny was not aware how very angry Norman was. + +Suddenly darting at her, he seized her hat and tore it off her head. + +"Take care, young gentleman, what you are about," cried Sandy, putting +in his oars and about to take hold of Norman, who with Fanny's hat in +his hand, had jumped up on the seat. + +"Your hat shall go after my fishing-rod," he cried out, and was about to +throw it as far from him as he could into the water, when, in making the +attempt, he lost his balance and overboard he fell. + +For a moment the water which got into his mouth as he struggled and +splashed about, prevented him from uttering any sound. When he came to +the surface he quickly found his voice. + +"Help! help! I am drowning!" he shrieked out. "I am drowning! I am +drowning! Oh save me, save me!" + +Sandy quickly leaning over the side of the boat caught hold of him, and +dragged him in, though he continued to shriek lustily, and struggle as +if he was still in the water. + +Poor Fanny gave a cry of alarm. + +"He is all safe, young lady, and the cold bath will cool his anger, and +won't do him any harm," observed Sandy. "But we will just pull off his +wet clothes, and I will wrap him in my jacket." + +Norman who soon regained his senses, and became quieter when he found +himself safe in the boat again objected to this, but Sandy insisted on +doing what he proposed, and in spite of his struggles, took off his wet +things, and made him put on his jacket, which he fastened round his +waist with a handkerchief. + +Fanny who had recovered from her flight, could scarcely help laughing at +the funny figure he presented, dressed in the coat with the sleeves +turned half way back, so that he might have his hands free. + +"You will keep quiet now, young gentleman, I hope, or you will be +tumbling overboard again," said Sandy. "I don't know what the laird +will say to you, when he hears how it happened." + +Norman looked foolish, and made no reply. + +Sandy had in the meantime picked up Fanny's hat, and he now spread +Norman's clothes out on the seats that they might dry in the sun. +Having done this, he pulled away as fast as he could towards the +landing-place near the house. + +As Norman's clothes were not nearly dry by the time they reached the +shore, he packed them away in the basket, which was thus made useful, +though in a different way to what Norman expected. Having secured the +boat, and helped Fanny out, Sandy took Norman up in his arms and marched +away with him to the house. + +The laird saw them coming, and of course inquired what had happened. + +Fanny would as usual, have tried to save her brother from being blamed, +but Sandy told the whole story. + +"You brought it upon yourself, by disobeying orders, Norman," observed +Mr Maclean. "I will go in and tell your mamma and Mrs Leslie what has +occurred, that they may not be alarmed, and the best thing you can do is +to go to bed, and to stay there till your clothes are dried. You must +not expect to go out in the boat again, as I see you cannot be trusted." + +"It was all Fanny's fault, she had no business to make me angry," +answered Norman; "it is very hard that I should be punished because of +her." + +The laird made no answer, but telling a maid-servant who appeared at the +moment to carry Master Vallery upstairs and put him to bed, he entered +the drawing-room where the ladies were sitting. + +The laird took care not to alarm them when he described what had +happened. + +"Sandy did not tell you that I laughed at Norman, and that made him +angry," said Fanny. + +"He had no business to be angry, young lady," observed the laird. "Let +me advise you, my dear Mrs Vallery, to allow him to remain in bed till +he becomes more amiable. His tumble into the water may perhaps be an +advantage to him, and teach him the consequences of giving way to his +anger." + +Mrs Vallery, however, though assured that no real harm had happened to +her boy, could not refrain from running upstairs to see him. + +Norman did not appear at all sensible that he had brought the accident +upon himself, and declared that it was all Fanny's fault, and that he +would not stop in bed. + +Mrs Vallery at last yielded to his entreaties to be allowed to get up, +and obtaining some fresh clothes, led him down to dinner, after he had +promised that he would tell Mr Maclean he was sorry for having +disobeyed his orders. Norman did so, though not with a very good grace, +and he could not help feeling for the rest of the day that he was out of +favour with the laird. + +Mrs Leslie did not allude to the subject, for she hoped that his mamma +had said all that was necessary, and Norman congratulated himself that +he had got off more cheaply altogether than he had expected. + +Poor Fanny was the chief sufferer, for she longed to say how delighted +she was with the scenery, and yet she did not like, on account of her +brother, to mention the subject. Norman, however, tried to look as +unconcerned as possible, as if he had done nothing to be ashamed of. + +Fanny, who wished very much to carry the presents to little Robby, and +to see the old sailor again, begged the next morning that she might take +Norman, as had been before arranged, with the little carriage. + +"But I do not know if we can trust Norman," observed the laird; "he may +be scampering off by himself across the moor, and give you a great deal +of trouble to catch him." + +"Oh! but I am sure Norman will behave well to-day," pleaded Fanny. +"Won't you, Norman? You will promise Mr Maclean that you will do as he +tells you." + +"Of course I will," answered Norman. "Because I happen to do one day +what you don't like, you fancy that I must always do what you think +wrong." + +"If you promise me that you will obey your sister, you shall have the +carriage, as I hope that I may trust to your word." + +Norman promised that he would do whatever Fanny told him. + +"Will you cut me a whip, Mr Maclean?" he added, "I cannot drive a +carriage without one." + +"Pray let it be short then, the horse is not very far off, and a large +one may tickle its shoulders and ears more than it likes," said Fanny, +looking archly at Norman, showing that though she had forgiven him, she +had not forgotten the way he had treated her on their former excursion. + +The laird cut a short thin wand which could not do much harm in the +hands of Norman, and kindly saw them off as before on the road. + +The day was fine and bright, and the pure Highland air raised Fanny's +spirits. She drew on the little carriage at a quick rate, singing +merrily as she went. Norman felt unusually happy, he flourished his +stick without attempting to beat Fanny, and shouted at the top of his +voice. When the ground was rough, and the carriage bumped about, he +held on to the sides with both his hands, but even that he thought very +good fun. Quite regardless, however, of the exertion Fanny had to make +on his account, he told her to go faster and faster. + +"I like the bumping and tumbling. It puts me in mind of being at sea,-- +go on, go on," he shouted. + +Fanny proceeded for some distance, and at last felt so tired, that she +was obliged to stop. + +"I must rest for a few minutes, Norman," she said, "for really it is +very hard work going over this rough ground." + +"Oh, nonsense! you are lazy, you see how I like it, and so you ought to +keep going on, I cannot give you many minutes to rest," he replied. + +"That's a good joke," said Fanny, "if you will drag the carriage and let +me get into it, you will soon find that it is not so easy as you suppose +to drag it over this ground." + +"You are heavier than I am, so that would not be fair, and besides, you +promised to draw me, and you say you always do what you promise." + +"That is true," said Fanny; "I am much heavier than you are, and I have +really no wish that you should draw me, but pray have patience, and I +will go on again." + +Norman got out of the carriage and ran about, he might just as well have +gone on in front, and saved Fanny the trouble of dragging him so far; +that, he did not think of. + +At last Fanny proposed that he should get in again, and on they went. +The ground was, however, still rougher than what they had passed over. +Norman cried out to Fanny, who was going somewhat slower than at first, +to move faster. + +"I cannot, Norman; indeed I cannot," she answered. + +"I shall run the risk of tumbling down, if I do." + +"Then I'll make you," he shouted out. + +As he could not reach her with his stick from where he sat, he jumped up +to lean forward that he might do so. Just then the carriage gave a +violent bump, and out he tumbled, falling on some hard stones. He +shrieked out, fancying himself dreadfully hurt, and very angry at what +had happened to him. + +"You did it on purpose, I know you did," he exclaimed, as Fanny came to +pick him up. + +Fanny was a little alarmed at first, but she soon found that a slight +bruise or two was all the harm he had received, so, after stopping a +short time till he had ceased crying and complaining, she put him into +the carriage again, and went on more carefully than before. Norman did +not again insist on her moving faster, as he was occupied in feeling his +elbows and shoulders and wondering whether he was much bruised. + +Soon after crossing the stream, they came in sight of Alec Morrison's +cottage. The ground was smooth near it, so Fanny was able to go on +pretty fast, and Norman got into better humour, and shouted and sang as +at first. + +As they approached the cottage they saw Robby, who had heard their +voices coming out to meet them. Poor little fellow, as he did not +expect visitors, and the weather was hot, he had very few clothes on, +but he did not think about that. + +Fanny, stopping, made Norman get out of the carriage that she might take +out the things which were placed under the seat. + +"Here, Robby," she said, as the little boy came up, "we have brought you +some nice fruit, and some cakes, and some picture-books, which Mrs +Maclean gave us for you." + +"Thank you, young lady, thank you," exclaimed Robby, receiving them with +delight, as Fanny took them out of the carriage, while Norman stood by, +feeling somewhat jealous that the little beggar boy, as he chose to +think Robby, should have so many things given him. + +"Is your grandfather at home?" asked Fanny. "I have been longing to +come and see him, and to thank him for helping us on our way back the +other day." + +"No; I am keeping house alone, but grandfather will soon be back, so +don't go away, please, till he comes," answered Robby, who was holding +the things which Fanny had given him in his arms. "Won't you come in, +young lady, and rest?" + +"No, thank you, I would rather stay outside in the shade till your +grandfather comes back," said Fanny, as she did not like to go into the +old man's cottage without an invitation from him. "Do you, Robby, go in +with the things, and put them away," she added, for she rather +mistrusted Norman, who continued eyeing the little boy with no very kind +looks. + +Robby ran in with his treasures. + +"Stupid little brat," observed Norman, "I wonder Mrs Maclean sent him +all those things, I should have thought a piece of bread and cheese was +quite enough for him." + +"When we make presents we should try and give nice things, such as +people who receive them will like," said Fanny. "Old Alec could give +his grandson bread and cheese, but he probably would be unable to obtain +the sort of things we have brought. I wish when I make a present to +give something that I myself like." + +"I do not understand anything about that," answered Norman, turning +away, and flourishing his stick as he walked up and down. + +Old Alec soon appeared, with a basket containing food for himself and +Robby, which he had gone to the village to purchase. + +"It does my heart good to see you and your brother," he exclaimed, as he +came up. + +"Grandfather!" cried Robby, "they have brought me all sorts of nice +things--look here, look here!" and Robby led the old man into the +cottage that he might exhibit the gifts he had received. "They would +not come in themselves, but said they would wait till you returned. I +think the young gentleman would like some of the fruit, for he looked at +it when his sister gave it to me. Can I run out and offer it to him? +Perhaps, though, he will be offended, for he looks very proud." + +"Yes, Robby, go and give the young gentleman some fruit," said old Alec, +who was at the time turning his eyes towards several cages which hung +against the wall, with birds in most of them. + +He first looked at one, and then at another and another. At last he +selected one neater and prettier than the rest, containing a linnet. + +"This will be the thing for the little damsel," he observed. "If it was +made of gold it would not be too good for her." + +Fanny and Norman had still remained outside seated on a bench in the +shade. They did not observe Robby, who came back with some of the +fruit, intending to bring it to them, but feeling somewhat shy of +presenting it, he placed it in the carriage, where he thought they would +soon see it. + +The old man, going to a window which overlooked the spot where they were +seated, called to Fanny. + +"Here, my dear young lady; an old man such as I am has but few things +which you would care for, but I shall be greatly pleased if you will +accept this little bird and its cage. Hang it up in your room where it +can enjoy sunlight and air, and if you feed it and give it water +regularly, it will sing sweetly to you in the morning and at all times +of the day." + +"Oh, thank you! thank you! what a dear, sweet, little bird! There is +nothing I shall like to have so much, and I hope mamma and granny will +allow me to receive it." + +Fanny was so delighted with the gift, that she felt she could not find +words enough to thank old Alec for it. + +"The gift is a very poor one, but I shall be just as much pleased as you +are, if you will receive it," answered the old man, as he put the cage +into Fanny's hands. + +The bird did not seem at all startled or afraid of her, but hopped about +from perch to perch, and uttered a few gentle notes, as if it was much +pleased at having her for its future mistress. + +"But I have kept you waiting a long time outside," said the old man. +"You must come in for a few minutes to rest, before you begin your +journey home; and I have got some sweet milk and a fresh bannock--a +better one than I had to offer you the other day. You will go back all +the merrier for a little food." + +Fanny thought it would please the old man to accept his invitation, and +perhaps too, she might be able to get him to tell her and Norman some of +the adventures which the laird said he had gone through, so calling to +Norman, and holding the cage in her hands, she went into the house. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE SAILOR'S STORY. + +Norman having done nothing to tire himself, thought he should like best +to play outside the cottage instead of going in to rest. He followed +his sister, therefore, in a discontented mood. + +Old Alec begged Fanny to sit down in his arm-chair near the table, on +which he placed the bird-cage, so that she could see it, and watch its +little occupant hopping about, while it now and then uttered its sweet +song. He offered a stool to Norman, who sat down with his hat on +looking very grumpy and somewhat angry. Old Alec, however, did not +appear to remark this, but busied himself in pouring out some cups of +milk, which he brought to Fanny and him, and then offered them the +bannock of which he had spoken. + +"You see that Robby and I are not all alone," he observed, as he pointed +round the room to the birdcages. "I like to listen to their talk more +than I do to what many of my fellow-creatures say. It always seems to +me that birds are praising God, when I hear them singing, and that is +more than many people do, when they talk. But perhaps, young lady, you +think it is cruel in me to keep them shut up, when they might be flying +about in freedom amid the woods and over the moors; I think I should be +cruel, if I took them after they had been accustomed to a free life, but +every one of those birds has been brought up from a fledgling. I have +never taken more than one or two from the same nest, and in truth have +saved the lives of most of them which would otherwise have been killed +by careless boys or cats or dogs, or shot by the farmers who think they +rob them of their grain. Here they have air and sunlight and food and +the company of their kind, and are safe from danger, and if I part with +them, I know that they go into kind hands. But I must show you my +oldest friend; I keep him in another room, as he is apt to talk too +much, and my little songsters there don't understand him. I got him +from foreign lands years ago, and he and I have never parted company." + +"Oh, I should so like to see the bird," said Fanny. "Can we come and +look at him?" + +"I will bring him in here, young lady," answered old Alec, opening a +door which led to an inner room. + +He quickly returned with a bird on his wrist, and Fanny thought she had +never seen one of more beautiful colours. Most of its plumage was of +the richest scarlet, while the top of its head was of a deep purple. On +its breast was a broad yellow collar; the wings were green, changing to +violet towards the edges, and while the feathers on its thighs were of a +lovely azure, those of the tail were scarlet, banded with black and +tipped with yellow. Its beak which by its shape showed that the bird +was a species of parrot, was of a deep rich yellow. + +"I got this from the coast of New Guinea," said old Alec. "It is a very +hot country, and I always keep my pet as warm as I can, for fear of its +catching cold. I call it `Lory with the purple cap.' Speak to the +lady," said old Alec, stroking the head of the beautiful bird which +walked up and down his arm for a minute, and then stopping and looking +at Fanny, greatly to her delight said very clearly, "Good morning, +pretty one." + +The bird repeated the sentence two or three times, and then mounting to +the top of its master's head cried out "Pipe all hands, hoist away boys, +belay there!" Then as if satisfied with its nautical performance, +descended to old Alec's hand, and sang two or three tunes very +distinctly. + +"Lory can say a great deal more than you have heard, but he is not +always in the humour to talk, though he is an obedient bird, and +generally does what I tell him. Ah, Miss Fanny, I am very fond of my +Lory, he is as good as he is beautiful, yet in the land from which he +comes, there are birds still more beautiful than he is, with long tails +which glitter in the sun like jewels, and crests on their heads which I +doubt if the crown of our queen can beat, and when their wings are +spread out and they are flying through the air or dancing on the tips of +the trees, they look as if they could scarcely belong to this earth. +They are called Birds of Paradise. To my mind the name is a very proper +one, though strange to say the people who live in the country where they +are found, are as perfect savages as any in the world--black-skinned +fellows with the hair of their heads frizzled out, and scarcely a rag of +clothing on. I had once the misfortune to be wrecked on their shore, +and it's a wonder to me that I got away with my life, for they generally +kill all strangers who fall into their hands; yet savage as most of them +are, they are not all alike. + +"The ship I was on board, was sailing along the coast of New Guinea, +when she was caught in one of the hurricanes which sometimes blow in +those seas. Away she flew before the fierce winds, the waves hissing +and leaping up on either side of her, and threatening to break on board +and send her to the bottom. The captain did his best, and so did every +man belonging to her, but after we had shortened sail, and sent down our +loftier spars and secured the remaining ones, there was nothing more we +could do. All we could hope for was that the hurricane would abate +before we neared the shore. + +"That night was indeed a terrible one, few of us ever expected to live +through it. + +"When daylight broke the shore was seen not a league off, with lofty +mountains rising in the distance. Still the hurricane continued, the +ship drove on, and no break could be discovered in the long line of wild +surf which burst on the shore. As there were many coral reefs running +along the whole coast, we expected every moment that the ship would +strike, and we knew that the fierce waves which would dash against her +would soon knock her to pieces. + +"A boat could scarcely live in such a sea, still less get through the +foaming surf. Most of the men however, had put on their best clothes +and filled their pockets with whatever they most valued, hoping somehow +or other to get safe to land. I thought to myself, it matters little +what I have on, and I would not weight my pockets with what would send +me to the bottom, so I continued in my trousers and shirt and jacket, +intending to throw off the last should I have to swim for my life. + +"The awful moment we were expecting came, and the ship with a tremendous +crash, was sent right against a reef of coral rocks, which in an instant +forced their way through her planking, and let the water rush in like a +mill-stream. At the same moment down came all the three masts, while +the sea swept over her, carrying away several of our poor fellows. We +could do nothing to help them, for we could not help ourselves. Most of +our boats were crushed by the falling masts. The captain ordered the +only uninjured one to be lowered, I with a few others did our best to +obey him, though there seemed no chance that a boat could live a minute +in such a sea--it was, however, better to trust to her than stay on +board the ship, against which the waves were dashing so furiously, that +we expected her every moment to go to pieces, when we should all be cast +into the foaming waters, with the pieces of wreck dashing around us, and +coming down upon our heads. + +"Another man and I were ordered into the boat to unhook the falls, as +the tackle is called by which the boat is lowered. Just as we had got +into her a tremendous sea came roaring up, and striking the ship, broke +over her and the boat, and very nearly washed us out. A loud noise was +heard of the crashing and rending of the timbers and planks, above which +rose the cry of our shipmates. Three or four leaped into the boat after +us, and we got her clear of the ship, which seemed suddenly to melt +away. We had got our oars out, and now pulled away for our lives--how +the boat escaped, and how she kept afloat in that tremendous sea seemed +a wonder then as it does now. We had four oars, and the first mate, who +was saved, took the helm. To return to the wreck to try and save any of +our drowning shipmates was impossible, and it seemed equally impossible +that we should reach the shore through the boiling surf we saw before +us. Closer and closer we were borne to it--when just as we had given up +all hope of saving our lives, the mate declared that he had discovered +an opening through which we might pass. He steered towards it, the surf +rose like a wall on either side, but there was a narrow passage where +the water was smoother. We pulled with all our might, and in a few +minutes found ourselves in the mouth of a river. After rowing a short +distance, we were in perfectly smooth water. The river which widened +out greatly was bordered on either side by curious-looking trees, which +seemed to have branches growing downwards as well as upwards, with the +stem between them. These are what are called Mangrove trees. + +"On we rowed, but could find no place where we could land. At last we +came to the mouth of a smaller river which ran into the larger one. +After going some way, we saw an open space on the shore covered with +what looked in the distance like a number of bee-hives standing on posts +several feet above the ground. On getting nearer, we discovered that +they were houses, and that a number of ugly black-looking fellows were +moving about among them. As they saw us they gathered on the bank, +flourishing their bows and spears, showing, as we feared, that they +would very likely kill us if they got us into their power. Some of our +people proposed pulling back, but where were we to go to? We were faint +from hunger and thirst, we had not seen a spot where we could land to +obtain food, and we had the raging sea barring the mouth of the river. +We were caught in a trap, we had no arms to defend ourselves with, and +our only chance, therefore, was to make friends with the savages. + +"`Come lads,' said the mate, `we will try what we can do--they may not +be as bad as they look.' + +"He stood up in the boat, and spread out his hands wide to show that we +had no arms, then he stretched out one hand as if to shake those of the +black people, then he took off his hat, and waved it and bowed to them, +indeed he did everything he could think of, to show them that we wanted +to be friendly. + +"While he was doing this, I and another man, feeling our tongues parched +with thirst, could not help leaning over the side of the boat to take up +some water in our hands, for even though we supposed that it was salt, +it would at all events moisten our lips. It was less salt than we +expected, and soon all of us, as well as the mate, was lapping away at +the water, while, to cool our heads, we threw some of it over them. +What was our surprise, while we were so employed, to see the natives +stoop down and sprinkle their own heads with water, in the same fashion. +Having done this, they placed their bows and spears on the ground, and +beckoned us by signs which we could not mistake to approach. + +"`We must chance it, lads,' said the mate, `it is better to be killed +outright by the blacks, than die by inches from hunger and thirst. I am +ready to step on shore first, and you may shove off, and wait till you +see what becomes of me.' + +"`I will go with you, sir,' I exclaimed, `and share whatever fate +befalls you.' + +"All, on this, agreed to do the same. + +"Giving way again, we were soon close up to where the savages stood. We +all jumped out except one man, who remained to take care of the boat, +and stepped boldly in among the blacks, putting out our hands to show +that we wished to be friends. They seemed to understand what we meant, +and several of their chief men shook our hands in return; when we made +signs that we were hungry and thirsty, four or five of them ran off, and +quickly returned with some water in calabashes, and some baskets with +cooked meat and yams. The people seemed to live in plenty, for we saw a +number of funny little pigs running about, and two or three girls +carrying them in their arms and talking to them, and caressing them, +just as an English girl does her doll. We were too hungry, however, +just then to think of that, or anything else, and sitting down on the +grass, fell to on the provisions the blacks had brought us. The food +soon restored our spirits, and we began to hope that things would not be +as bad as we expected. Still, we could not help thinking of our poor +shipmates who had remained on the wreck, and whom we felt sure must all +have been drowned. The people too, seemed not so ill-looking, and much +more good-natured, than we had at first thought. + +"Their hair was frizzled out, and they had earrings and necklaces, but +very little clothing, except a petticoat of long grass or leaves round +the waist. They were not black either, but rather a dark chocolate +colour, with broad long noses, with the tips hooking down almost over +the upper lip. + +"Their houses are curious. First they were built on posts, on the top +of which the flooring was placed. On each post below the flooring was a +large flat disc, this was to prevent the snakes and rats from getting +into the houses. Above the flooring, after the poles had risen some +distance, they were bent over and covered thickly with grass or cocoanut +leaves. Some were small, and others as much as twenty feet long and +twelve feet wide. They had no doors, but were entered by a trap through +the flooring. + +"As there are numerous snakes in the country, the steps or ladder by +which the trap is reached does not go up to it, but only rises from the +ground for a sufficient height to enable a person to lift himself in by +his elbows. The upper part of this curious ladder consists merely of a +polo resting on two forked sticks, and a plank with one end leaning on +it and the other on the ground. When a person wants to get into his +house he runs up the plank, and is then high enough to reach the +entrance of the trap. + +"I told you how we happened to throw water on our heads, and then saw +the natives doing the same. This we afterwards found was the very sign +they use to show that they wish to be on good terms; and so it happened, +that without knowing it we did the right thing, and at once gained their +friendship. + +"They treated us very kindly, and though they had no notion of working +for us, they showed us how to build a house for ourselves after their +fashion. + +"We hauled up our boat and thatched her over, to keep her from the sun, +for we, of course, hoped to escape in her when we had collected enough +provisions for a voyage. The natives, however, had no intention of +letting us go, for they believed that we benefited them by living among +them. Though they did not treat us as slaves, they made us, as I have +said, work for our livelihood. It was not hard work, but the sun was +very hot, and we, all of us, often felt ill, and unable to do anything, +but lie down in the shade in our houses. + +"First one of my companions died, and then another, and another, till +the mate and I alone remained. We buried the poor fellows, and felt +very sad when we put the last into the ground. We could not help +thinking that one of us would go next, but which it would be, we could +not tell. I daresay the mate looked at my sallow face and thought I +should die first, and as I looked at his, I fancied he had not many +weeks to live. + +"We had got ground under cultivation, and as we had now only two to eat +its produce, and the natives had given us some pigs, we had plenty of +provisions. If we had had salt, we should have killed some of our pigs +and salted them down, but though we were near salt water, there were no +rocks, or any flat place where we could manufacture salt. + +"Day after day we talked about getting away, and indeed, it was the only +subject we could talk of. We had no sail in the boat, so the first +thing we had to do was to make one. The natives, like most of the +people in those parts, manufactured fine mats; these would answer for +what we wanted, but the difficulty was to get them. We could now make +ourselves understood, so under the pretence that we wanted them for +bedding, we obtained several in exchange for most of our pigs, and yams, +and other produce of our garden. + +"We tried drying some of the pigs' flesh in the sun, but that did not +answer, we next tried smoking it, but it was very dry, and tasted +strongly of the smoke; still, we hoped that it would last us till we +could get to one of the Dutch settlements. The mate warned me that even +should we get away, we should have many dangers to encounter, from +tempests, and from pirates, which cruise with large fleets in those +seas, and from having no chart or compass, with which to find our way. + +"As we had much idle time, I amused myself by collecting birds, of which +there are a great number in the country; birds of paradise, and parrots +of many colours, and among them a big black parrot, a magnificent +fellow, and others, even more beautiful than my pet, Lory, which I got +at that time. Our house was like an aviary, and the mate, though he did +not know how to tame them himself, liked to see me do so. + +"At last we found our friends were setting out to make war on another +tribe. They wanted us to go with them, but we told them we were too ill +to march, and so we were, and I do not think we could have walked +half-a-mile. + +"They were all very busy in preparing their bows and arrows and spears +and clubs, and allowed us to do as we liked. We took the opportunity of +examining our boat, and patching her up. As we knew she would leak, we +brought water from the river and dashed it over her as often as we +could, and then we smoothed the way down the bank, so that we might +launch her, for though when all the crew were alive we had strength to +haul her up, we should never otherwise by ourselves have got her into +the water. We also killed another pig, and smoked the flesh, and +collected a quantity of yams and other roots and fruits in our house. + +"Our friends at last set out to fight their enemies, leaving only very +old men and some of the women and children behind. + +"We had sewn our mats together to form a sail, and the mate cut a long +spar for a mast. + +"The night was fine, and we hoped that we should get out of the river +without danger from the breakers. We waited till everybody in the +village was asleep, and then stole down to the boat, carrying our sail +and spar and provisions. We had to make several trips, but at last we +had collected everything, and as silently as we could we got the boat +into the water. The last time I brought down my Lory and three other +birds. I was afraid, however, that they would scream out, but still I +could not bring myself to leave them all behind. + +"We shoved off, and managed to drop slowly down the stream without +making any noise. As soon as we got out of hearing of the village we +began to row faster, though we had but little strength to use our oars. +Our great wish was to be out of the river, and at a distance from the +shore before daylight, lest any of the natives in their canoes might +fall in with us. We rowed as hard as we could, till our oars were +nearly dropping from our hands. After a long pull we got near the mouth +of the river--the land breeze was blowing out of it. We hoisted our mat +sail, and now glided on more rapidly than before. I do not think we +could have rowed another ten minutes. The surf was breaking on the +shore, but we passed safely through the passage. + +"How thankful we felt when we found ourselves at last in the open sea. +A line of white foam showed us where the reef was on which our ship had +struck, but not a vestige of her remained. + +"The mate judged it best to steer to the southward, but we had no chart +and no compass, and had to trust to the sun by day and the stars by +night. The mate knew them well, but I began to fear that he would not +be long with me, for the exertions he had made had been too much for +him. By the time morning had dawned he was unable to sit up. As long +as he could he steered the boat, while I baled, for, notwithstanding the +care we had taken, she still leaked very much. I looked anxiously at my +companion every time I lifted up my head, still he kept his eye on the +rising sun, which in a deep red glow appeared above the horizon. Then +he gazed up at the sail, and then ahead. Gradually his hand let go of +the tiller, his head fell down on his chest. I sprang aft, when, to my +grief and dismay, I found that the poor fellow was dead. + +"I had now not only to steer the boat, but to bale her. How could I +hope by myself to reach any friendly shore? I began to be sorry that we +had left the native village, the people were at all events kind to us, +and some day or other traders might have come to the place and taken us +off. It was too late now, though, to think of this. I could not have +gone back even if I had wished it, for the wind was against me, and I +had not strength to use the oars. I looked at the poor mate, and tried +to pour some water down his throat, but it was of no use, he was really +dead. For some time I had not the heart to throw him overboard, but I +knew that it must be done, and at last I managed to accomplish the sad +act. + +"I was now all alone in the boat. As the sun rose the wind fell, and it +became perfectly calm. As the sail was of no use, I lowered it. Still +I had to bail, for the water continued to leak through the seams. The +hot sun came down on my head and nearly roasted me. Fortunately I had +manufactured a straw hat, with a thick top, this very one you see me +wear, it assisted to save my head, and I value it as a friend which has +done me service. + +"Well, I must cut my yarn short. Day after day I sailed on. When it +was calm I hauled down my sail and went to sleep, for the leaks in the +boat lessened by degrees, and at last I was saved the trouble of baling. +I began, however, to think that I should never get to land. The meat +we had brought turned so bad that I could not eat it, the roots and +fruits lasted me better, and assisted to feed the birds, but they were +also coming to an end. Without them I knew that I could not preserve my +birds, so very unwillingly, I killed my big black parrot. I had no +means of lighting a fire, so I had to eat the bird raw; but a hungry man +is not particular. + +"I should have said that we had stowed our water in a number of gourds, +but I had already emptied most of them, and I dreaded the time when my +stock would come to an end, for I knew that without it, I could not live +many days. Under the burning sun of that region, water is the chief +necessary of life, my birds too, required as much as I did. I anxiously +looked out for land. I made but slow progress, for the weather was +unusually calm, and sometimes the wind was contrary. Thus, I could not +tell how long it might be before I could reach a friendly harbour. I +had to kill another and another of my birds, till at last only my pretty +Lory remained. He was so tame that he would come and sit on my shoulder +while I was steering, and put his beak into my mouth, and talk to me. +He was my only companion you see, and I fancied he could understand what +I said, and I was sure he was very fond of me. I would rather have done +anything than kill him, still I was getting very faint and weak, and I +could scarcely crawl from the stern to the mast to lower the sail when I +wanted to get to sleep. At last I had but a pint of water remaining and +only a yam or two. I steered on as long as I could, when I felt my head +bending down to my breast. I knew that I could not keep awake many +minutes longer, so I lowered my sail and lay down to go to sleep. I +felt that it was very likely I should never wake again, or if I did that +it would be only to lie down and die. Evening was coming on, I suffered +generally less at night than in the day-time, because it was cooler. I +slept on and on; I was completely exhausted. At length, I was awoke by +Lory putting his beak into my mouth; I opened my eyes. The sun had +already risen, and a fresh breeze was blowing. I dragged myself to the +mast, and hoisted the sail, and then made my way to my seat aft. I had +scarcely got there, when I saw nearly ahead, a large vessel crossing my +course. I eagerly steered towards her; I hoped and prayed that I might +be seen by those on board, and my heart beat with anxiety lest I should +not be observed. Every moment I drew nearer and nearer, but still I +knew that when she got the breeze, she would rapidly sail away from me. +In my eagerness, I tried to shout, but my voice sounded weak and hollow. +My heart bounded with joy, when I saw the ship's course brailed up, and +she hove to, showing that I was seen. I was soon alongside, but I was +too weak to do more than just lower my sail, and sink into the bottom of +the boat, just as a couple of seamen from the stranger jumped into her. +I was scarcely conscious of what else happened. When I came to myself, +I found Lory perched on my hammock looking at me, and I was told that I +was on board the _Ringdove_, and that after she had touched at a few of +the East India Islands, she was homeward bound. I was treated very +kindly till I got well, and then as I had no wish to be idle, I told the +captain I was ready to work with the crew. + +"We had several passengers on board, and one of them who was a +naturalist, and had been out to these regions to collect birds and +creatures of all sorts, offered to buy Lory, but though he was ready to +give a large sum, I would not part with my friend. Lory came safely +home with me, for I took great care of him, and when we got into +northern latitudes, I kept him always out of the cold and damp. + +"So, Miss Fanny, you have the history of my pet." + +"Oh, how I wish you had been able to bring the other birds home," said +Fanny. "I should so like to have seen them." + +"Well, Miss, I tell you it went against my heart to kill them, but when +a man is suffering from hunger, his nature seems changed, but I often +used to think afterwards, how I could have killed the pretty creatures." + +"I am very much obliged to you, for the account you have given me, and I +should like another day to hear as many more of your adventures as you +can tell me, for I daresay that is not the only one you have met with." + +"No, indeed, Miss Fanny, I could tell you many more, and will try and +recollect them for you when next you come." + +Norman had been almost as much interested as his sister in the old +sailor's story, wondering in what part of the world the adventures took +place, for although, as he boasted, he had come all the way from India, +he had a very slight knowledge of geography. + +Rob by had all the time been outside playing with the little carriage, +and thinking how nice it would be if he could have one like it to drag +to market with his grandfather, and bring back the things they bought. + +Just as old Alec had finished his story, a stranger arrived. He was a +drover, who went round the country to purchase the cottagers' cattle, +picking up here one and there one, or taking a hundred at a time from +the more wealthy proprietors. + +"I am somewhat in a hurry," he said, "but if you have any beasts to +dispose of, I daresay that I shall be able to offer you a price you will +be ready to take." + +As old Alec could not detain the drover, he begged Fanny and her brother +to wait till his return that he might accompany them part of the way +home. + +While he and the drover went out to look at the cattle, Fanny took up +her bird with its cage, and thought how much it would like to enjoy the +fresh air and sunlight. + +"I am not going to stay here any longer," said Norman, and he ran out to +join little Robby in playing with the carriage. + +Fanny followed with the bird-cage, and seeing the two boys amusing +themselves, went on talking to the bird, which as she thought whistled +to her in return. + +"What are you doing with my cart?" exclaimed Norman, turning to Robby. + +He was not in a good humour, he considered that old Alec ought to have +given a bird to him as well as to Fanny, and was inclined to vent his +ill-feeling on poor little Robby. Robby, who did not understand that he +was angry, without replying, taking out the two apples which he had put +back into the carriage, held them up to Norman wishing to offer them to +him. + +"Where did you get those from?" exclaimed Norman. + +"I thought you would like to have them, young master," said Robby, "I +brought them back for you." + +Norman instead of saying that he was much obliged, not wishing at the +moment to eat any fruit and feeling very angry, knocked them out of the +little boy's hands. + +Robby was too much astonished even to offer to pick them up as they lay +on the ground. + +"I am tired of waiting for that old man," said Norman, taking the pole +of the carriage; "Fanny come along." + +Fanny was too much occupied with her bird to hear him, and Norman began +to drag off the carriage. + +Robby thinking that he had no business to run off with it, on the +impulse of the moment seized the hinder part of it, and attempted to +stop him. + +"Please don't go away, young master, till grandfather comes back," he +said, "he wants to go with you. Miss Fanny, O Miss Fanny, won't you +tell your brother to stop?" + +"Let go the carriage," cried Norman, now more angry than ever, +especially at finding that though Robby was so little, his sturdy arms +and legs were able to prevent him from drawing on the carriage. "If you +do not let go, I will give you such a box on the ears, as you never +before have had in your life." + +Little Robby, who had a spirit of his own, was not to be daunted by the +threats of Master Norman. + +Fanny had by this time got to some distance, or she would have heard +what her brother was saying and have interfered. + +Norman again cried out and threatened Robby, but still the little fellow +held on tightly, while he pulled back. Norman tugged and tugged in vain +to get on. At last he stopped pulling, and threatened to beat Robby +well if he would not let go. Robby looked up at him, and shook his +head. Norman at that moment turning round gave a sudden tug at the +pole, and started off at full speed. The jerk had the effect of making +poor little Robby lose his hold, and back he fell with his legs in the +air, and his hands stretched out, while Norman scampered on, turning his +head round to laugh at him maliciously. + +"I told you you had better not!" he shouted. "Now you have got your +desert, you will not attempt to play tricks with me again, you young +monkey! ah! ah! ah!" and he laughed and jeered at poor little Robby. + +"Come along, Fanny," he cried out, "I am not going to stop longer for +the old man." + +Fanny though she heard his voice did not understand what he said, and +still thought that he and Robby were playing amicably together. She +went on talking to her bird which at that moment was to her of more +importance than anything else. + +Norman, not looking to see whether she was coming, scampered off, +dragging the carriage behind him, and believing that he knew the way as +well as she did. + +Robby soon got up, and felt more vexed at the way he had been treated by +the young master, than hurt by his tumble. Fanny had gone round into +the garden, where she sat down on a bench in the shade, and planed her +bird by her side, quite unaware of what had happened. The bird, which +was unusually tame, seemed from the first to understand that she was to +be its future mistress. It came at once to the bars of the cage, and +put out its beak to receive the seed with which old Alec had provided +her, that she might feed it. She would have liked to have taken it out +of its cage that it might perch on her fingers, but she thought that +would not be wise, in case it might take it into its head to fly off for +an excursion, and perhaps not be willing to return to captivity. + +"I wonder what name I shall give you," she said, talking to the bird. +"Old Alec did not tell me if you have got one. Shall I call you Dickey, +Flapsey, or Pecksy? I must have a name for you. Perhaps granny will +help me to find one. What name would you like to be called by, pretty +bird? I wonder what are the names of birds; I know that parrots are +called Poll and Pretty Poll, and jackdaws and magpies Jack and Mag, but +such names would not do for you. I want something that sounds soft and +pretty just like yourself." Thus she ran on, and the time went by till +at last old Alec returned to the cottage, and not finding her there, +came into the garden to look for her. + +"Why, Miss Fanny, what has become of your little brother?" he inquired. + +"Is not he playing with Robby on the other side of the house?" asked +Fanny, somewhat astonished. + +"I can neither see him nor Robby," answered old Alec. He shouted out, +"Robby! Robby!" but received no answer. + +"It seems very strange," said Fanny; "I heard them playing happily +together not long ago." + +At last old Alec went round the house and again shouted. A faint cry +came from a distance, and he saw Robby running towards him. + +"What is the matter?" asked old Alec, as soon as Robby got up to him. + +"The young master went off with the carriage, and I ran after him to +call him back, and instead of going towards home, he has taken the way +to the peat bog. I called to him to stop, but he only went faster, and +so I came back to get you, grandfather, to follow him, for if he once +tumbled in I could not help him out again." + +"You are a wise boy, Robby," answered his grandfather. "Miss Fanny, if +you will stay here I will go and look after the young gentleman, for if +he tumbles into the bog he will not get out again without help. There +is no danger, only we must not lose time." + +Saying this, old Alec hurried off in the direction from which Robby had +appeared. + +Fanny for a moment forgot all about her bird which she had put down in +its cage on the window-sill, and ran after old Alec. He strode on at a +rapid rate, so that she had a difficulty in overtaking him. After some +time she heard him shouting, "Stop, boy, stop!" and saw him waving with +his hand. + +Again he went on even more eagerly than before. + +Fanny, who had just then reached a rise in the ground, caught sight of +Norman, some way off in the hollow below her, floundering about and +holding on to the cart, towards which Alec, yet at a little distance, +was making his way. The old man had to do so cautiously, for as the +ground was very soft, he sank at each step he made above his ankles; but +Norman, being much lighter, had passed over places which would not bear +his weight. + +As she got near she heard Norman crying lustily for help, and she began +to fear that before old Alec could reach him, he might sink below the +soft yielding earth. Just then she heard a shout behind her, and, +looking round, she observed little Robby approaching with a long thin +pole on his shoulder. He was quickly up with her. + +"Don't go farther, Miss," he said, "you will be sticking in the bog, +too, if you do; we will soon get out the young master." + +Robby quickly joined his grandfather, and by placing the long pole on +the top of the hog, Robby was able to make his way over the peat with a +rope. + +"Here, young master!" he exclaimed, "catch hold of the pole and crawl +along it as I do, and you will soon be out of the bog." + +Norman, though at first too much frightened to do anything but shout and +struggle, at last comprehended what Robby said, and following his +advice, crawled along the pole. He soon got on firmer ground. + +Robby then went back and fastened the rope to the carriage, which old +Alec was thus able without much difficulty to drag out of the bog. + +Fanny soon recovered from her alarm. + +"What made you run there?" she asked, as Norman, wet and muddy, came up +to her, looking very foolish and very angry too. + +"It was all your fault," he answered; "I wanted to go home, and I told +you that I did not want to wait for the old man, or to play any more +with the stupid little boy, and if you had come when I called you, I +should not have got into this mess." + +"If it had not been for the old man and the little boy you would have +been suffocated in the bog," answered Fanny; "you ought to be very +grateful to them for saving you, and see what trouble they are taking to +get the carriage out." + +"I won't be lectured by you," answered Norman, "and I will go home as +soon as I can get the carriage. The old man will be scolding me if I +stop here, because I upset his little grandson, and I do not choose to +submit to that." + +"Nonsense, you foolish boy," answered Fanny, "if you remain in your wet +clothes you will catch cold, and mamma and granny will be much more +angry with you than old Alec is likely to be." + +"I daresay they will if you go and tell them that I ran away from you, +and you always take pleasure in getting me into scrapes." + +"O Norman, how can you say that?" exclaimed Fanny, "you know I am always +anxious to prevent you from being punished. Here come old Alec and +Robby with the carriage. I hope that you will thank them for pulling +you out of the bog, and that you will go in (should old Alec ask you) to +get your clothes dried before we set off. I am very thankful you have +escaped, but I am afraid we shall not be allowed to come again by +ourselves over the moor to visit the cottage. The first time I tumbled +down and wetted my clothes, and now you are in a worse plight, for your +clothes are all muddy and spoilt, and you might have lost your life if +old Alec had not come to help you." + +This Norman would not acknowledge, but declared that he could have got +out very well by himself. Notwithstanding what Fanny had said, he still +insisted on returning home at once. + +"Oh no, you must come back and have your clothes dried, as Mr Morrison +wishes you," she said. + +"As you, Miss Fanny, think that your brother ought to go back, there is +a very easy way of settling the matter," said Alec; and before Norman +know what was going to happen, the old man tucked him under his arm and +carried him along as a farmer sometimes carries a refractory pig, while +Robby followed with the carriage. In vain Norman shrugged and grumbled, +and squeaked out. + +Alec soon had him seated on the bench before his kitchen fire, which he +made blaze merrily up. He then quickly took off his clothes, and +wrapped him up in a clean shirt, and his Sunday coat. + +"The clothes won't take long drying, young gentleman, and you must have +patience till they are dry," he observed; "the shoes, however, will be +somewhat tight, even if they are at all fit to be put on again, but that +won't matter, as you can sit in the carriage while I drag you." + +Norman now sat quietly, for he hoped that if his clothes were clean, no +one at home would hear of his misconduct. + +"You will not go and tell them that I ran away, will you Fanny?" he +asked, looking round at her as she sat near the table with her bird. + +"I cannot make any promise," she answered; "I am, however, very sure +that you ought to tell them how Mr Morrison and little Robby pulled you +out of the bog." + +"I would not wish the young gentleman to say anything to get himself +into trouble, but at the same time, I would wish him to speak the truth, +whatever happens," observed old Alec. + +Norman did not reply to her, but muttered to himself, "she cares more +for her bird than she does for me, but I will take care she has not much +pleasure from it." + +Fanny did not overhear this, and had no idea that her new little friend +was in danger from the jealousy of her brother. + +As it was already late, as soon as Norman's clothes were dried old Alec +put them on him again, with Fanny's assistance, and little Robby having +in the meantime washed the carriage, they were ready to start. Robby, +as before, had to take care of the house while old Alec insisted on +accompanying his young visitors. + +"You know, Miss Fanny, you must carry the bird, and we shall be able to +get over the ground faster if I drag the carriage." + +Fanny was very glad to agree to this arrangement, for as Norman was in a +bad humour she could not tell how he might behave to her, but she knew +that he would be quiet if old Alec was with her. They accordingly set +off, Robby giving them a parting cheer. They went on pretty fast, +Norman having to hold himself into the carriage as it bumped and thumped +over the rough ground. + +As Fanny had to carry the bird-cage, Alec went the whole way to the yard +at the back of Glen Tulloch. Norman scarcely thanking him, jumped out, +and ran into the house. + +"Oh! do stop, Mr Morrison, till my mamma, and granny, and Mrs Maclean +can see you," said Fanny, "they will wish to thank you, as I do, and as +Norman was much frightened, I hope that they will not think it necessary +to punish him." + +"But I did nothing worth speaking of," answered old Alec, "and so just +give my respects to the ladies, and tell them that I would have been +happy to have had a talk with them if they had wished, but I must go +back to look after my little boy, for I never like to be away from him +longer than I can help. Bless you, young lady! it does my heart good to +see you, so pray come and pay me a visit whenever you can." + +The old man hurried away, and Fanny ran in to show her bird, hoping that +no questions would be asked her about Norman's behaviour till she had +persuaded him, as she wished to do, to tell his own story, so that old +Alec and Robby might be properly thanked for the service they had +rendered him. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE PET BIRD. + +"O mamma! granny! Mrs Maclean! see what a beautiful bird old Alec has +given me!" exclaimed Fanny, as she ran into the drawing-room, and went +round exhibiting the little prisoner, first to one and then to the +other. "He has been so kind too, he showed us all his other birds, and +gave us such an interesting account of the way he got one of them, but I +would rather have this one than all the others." + +The bird was duly admired. + +"Where is Norman?" asked Mrs Vallery. + +"He ran into the house before me, I suppose he will soon be here." + +Norman, however, did not come immediately, and at last Mrs Vallery went +to look for him. She found him in his room rubbing away at his clothes. + +"What has happened?" she asked; "why did you not come into the +drawing-room at once?" + +"I tumbled down in the mud and dirtied my clothes, so I wanted to clean +them," answered Norman, and he said no more. + +"That was awkward of you, but as they appear dry, you might have come in +to see us all as soon as you returned," observed Mrs Vallery; "how did +you manage to tumble down?" + +"That stupid little brat Robby ran after me, and Fanny would not come +home. I can take very good care of myself, and so I don't want her to +go out with me any more." + +"I am afraid, Norman, you were not behaving well. I must learn from +Fanny what occurred," said Mrs Vallery. "I will assist you to change +your clothes; these are certainly not fit to appear in at dinner." + +Norman was very taciturn while his mamma was dressing him. As soon as +she had done so she led him downstairs. + +To his grandmother's questions he made no reply, and she consequently +guessed that something had gone wrong. When Fanny who had gone upstairs +to dress, returned, Mrs Vallery inquired how Norman had managed to +tumble into the mud. + +"I wish to have the whole account from you, Fanny, for his is not very +clear," she observed. "He says that little Robby ran after him." + +"Oh, how can you say that?" exclaimed Fanny indignantly. "If it had not +been for little Robby you know perfectly well that you might have lost +your life;" and then without hesitation she gave the exact account of +what had occurred. + +"I am deeply grieved to find that instead of expressing your gratitude +to the little fellow, you should have wished to throw blame upon him," +said Mrs Leslie, looking very grave as she spoke; "you were wrong in +running away without your sister, but that fault might easily have been +overlooked. I feel ashamed of acknowledging you as my grandson in the +presence of my old friend here, and I grieve that they should find you +capable of acting so base a part." + +Norman could say nothing in his defence. He did not like being scolded +by his grandmamma as he called it, but still he did not see his +behaviour in its proper light, and instead of being sorry, he felt only +vexed and angry and more than ever disposed to vent his ill-feeling on +Fanny. + +His poor mamma was very unhappy, but she did not know what to say to him +more than what his grandmamma had already said. + +"I will talk to him in his room by-and-by, and point out to him the sin +he has committed," she observed to Mrs Leslie. + +The laird soon after came in, and the party went to dinner. He saw that +something was wrong, but refrained from asking questions. + +Norman ate his dinner in silence, and no one felt disposed to speak to +him. He did not like this, and it made him feel more and more angry +with Fanny. + +"Why should she say all that about me! why could not she let my story be +believed! It could not have done that little brat any harm, if they had +thought I tumbled down because he ran after me. He did, he did run +after me, for I saw him. But I am determined that Fanny shall not tell +tales about me; I will punish her in a way she does not think of. She +will grow very fond of that stupid little bird, but I will take care +that she does not keep it very long. Perhaps some day the door of the +cage will be open, and it will fly away. Ah! ah! Miss Fanny, I am not +going to let you tell tales of me." + +Such were the thoughts which passed through the mind of the little boy. +He had never been taught to restrain his evil feelings, and to seek for +help from God's Holy Spirit to put them away immediately they came to +him. Instead of doing that, he allowed them to remain and to grow and +grow, and a bad thought, however small it may appear at first, must +always grow till it becomes so great, that it makes a slave of the +person who allows it to spring up within him. + +Poor Fanny had no idea of the harm which her brother was meditating +against her and her bird, nor indeed had any one else at table. After +dinner, the whole party went into the grounds. The kind-hearted laird +was sorry to see Norman looking so dull. + +"He is a manly little fellow, and ought to have boy companions. I will +do what I can to amuse him," he thought. "Come along, Norman, with me, +and we will try to find something to do." The laird kindly took him by +the hand, and led him along. + +"When I am old enough, papa promises to give me a gun, that I may go out +and shoot tigers," said Norman. "Have you got any tigers here?" + +"No, I am glad to say we have not. We should find them very +troublesome, as they would commit great havoc among our sheep and +cattle, and perhaps carry off the little boys and girls on their way to +school as well as grown-up people." + +"We have plenty of tigers in India, and I think it a much finer country +than England on that account," remarked Norman in a contemptuous tone. + +Mr Maclean laughed and replied-- + +"There were once wolves in the wilder parts of the country, but they +have long since been killed, because they did so much mischief. The +only large animals which now remain in a wild state, are deer, and they +belong to the proprietors of the land, so that those alone to whom they +give permission may shoot them." + +"But have you not got some deer?" asked Norman, "I should so like to see +you shoot one." + +"My days for deer-stalking are over," answered the laird. "There are a +few on my estate, but I do not allow them to be shot. They are +beautiful creatures, and I like to see them bounding across the hills +and moors, and enjoying the existence God has given them." + +"I should like to shoot one though," said Norman, giving his head a +shake in an independent way. "Won't you lend me your gun." + +"A gun would tumble you over oftener than you could bring down a deer, +laddie," answered the laird, laughing heartily. "As you are so +determined to be a sportsman you shall come with me on the loch this +evening, and we will try and catch some fish, only you must promise me +not to fall overboard again." + +"I will take good care not to do that; I did not like it the last time," +said Norman. + +"I suspect that what the boy wants is careful training to turn out +better than he promises to do at present," thought the laird. "He has +been allowed to do what he chooses, and has not been shown by the +argument of the rod, as Solomon advises, when he has chosen to do wrong. +I wish his father would let me take him in hand for a few months, I +think something might be made of him." + +"Come along, laddie," said the honest laird aloud, "we will get my +fishing-tackle, but we will not carry a big basket this time. I will +show you how to string up your fish to carry them home without one." + +The laird was quickly equipped, for his fishing-tackle was always kept +in readiness for use, and Norman being allowed the honour of carrying +his landing-net, they took their way down to the loch. The laird told +Norman to jump into the boat, and lifting the grapnel which held her to +the bank, he stepped in after him, then taking the oars he pulled away +up the loch. + +"What! can you row?" exclaimed Norman. "I thought only sailors and +boatmen could do that." + +"You have a good many things to learn, laddie. I could pull an oar when +I was no bigger than you are. It is what every English boy ought to be +able to do, and I will teach you if you try to behave yourself +properly." + +"I should like to learn; can you teach me now?" asked Norman. + +"I cannot teach you and fish at the same time," said the laird. +"Besides these oars are too heavy for you, but I will get a small one +made that you can handle. Remember, however, that I make the promise +only on condition that you are a good boy, and try to please not only me +but everybody else." + +"I will try," said Norman, but still he did not forget his evil +intentions against Fanny and her bird. + +People often promise that they will be good, but they must have an +honest desire to be so, and must seek for help from whence alone they +can obtain it, in order to enable them to keep their promise. Norman +had never even tried to be good, but had always followed his own +inclinations, regardless of the pain or annoyance he inflicted on even +those who were most kind to him. He could appear very amiable when he +was pleased, and had everything his own way, but that is not sufficient. +A person should be amiable when opposed, and even when hardly treated +should return good for evil. + +He sat in the boat talking away very pleasantly to Mr Maclean, who +began to think that he was a much nicer boy than he had supposed, and +felt very glad that he had brought him out with him that evening. + +The laird rowed on for some distance, till he came to the spot where he +proposed fishing. He then put his rod together, and told Norman to +watch what he did, that he might imitate him as soon as he had a rod of +his own. + +"I must get a nice light one which you can handle properly," observed +the laird kindly. + +"Oh, but I think I could hold yours, it does not seem very heavy," said +Norman. + +"You might hold it upright, but you could not move it about as I do, and +certainly you could not throw a fly with it," answered Mr Maclean. +"However, I like to see a boy try to do a thing. It is only by trying +that a person can succeed. But trying alone will not do, a person must +learn his alphabet before he can read; unless he did so, he might try +very hard to read, and would not succeed. In the same way you must +learn the a, b, c of every handicraft, and art, and branch of knowledge, +before you can hope to understand or accomplish the work. The a, b, c +of fly-fishing is to handle your rod and line, and I must see you do +that well, before I let you use a hook, with which you would otherwise +only injure yourself or any one else in the boat." + +"But I should feel so foolish throwing a line backwards and forwards +over the water," answered Norman, "I should not like that." + +"You would be much more foolish throwing it backwards and forwards and +not catching anything," remarked the laird. "Will you follow my advice +or not? I want your answer." + +"I will do as you wish me," said Norman, after some hesitation. + +"Then I will teach you how to become a fly-fisher, and perhaps another +year when you pay me a visit, you will be able to catch as many fish as +I am likely to do this evening." + +The good laird had now got his tackle in order, and applied himself to +the sport, telling Norman to sit quiet in the stern. Norman watched him +eagerly. + +"I cannot see what difficulty there is," he said to himself. "I think +in ten minutes or so I should be able to make the fly leap about over +the water just as well as he does. Ah! he has caught a fish, I should +like to do that! I must try as soon as he will let me have a rod." + +The laird quickly lifted the trout into the boat, and in half-an-hour +caught five or six more. + +It was now growing dusk, and observing that the fish would no longer +rise, he wound up his line, and again took to his oars. They soon +reached the shore. Norman begged that he might be allowed to carry the +fish, which the laird had strung through the gills with a piece of osier +which he cut from the bank. + +Norman felt very proud as he walked away with the fish, persuading +himself that he had had some part in catching them. They were, however, +rather heavy, and before he reached the house his arms began to ache. +He felt ashamed of acknowledging this, but continued changing them from +hand to hand. The laird observed him, and with a smile, asked if he +should take them. Norman was very glad to accept his offer. + +"You will find playing a fly much harder work than carrying the fish you +catch with it, young gentleman," he remarked. + +Before entering the house, Norman begged that he might have the fish +again, to show them to the ladies in the drawing-room. He rushed in +eagerly holding them up. + +"See mamma! see Mrs Maclean! see granny! what fine fish the laird and I +have caught," he exclaimed. + +"I congratulate you, my dear," said his grandmamma, "which of them did +you catch?" + +"Oh, the laird hooked them, and I sat in the boat, and brought them some +of the way up to the house!" answered Norman. + +Fanny burst into a merry laugh. + +"You are always grinning at me," exclaimed Norman, turning round and +going out of the room. + +Again his evil feelings were aroused. + +"I won't be laughed at by a girl," he said to himself, as he made his +way towards the kitchen to deliver the fish to the cook. "I will pay +her off, and she will be sorry that she jeered at me." + +"Well, young gentleman. These are fine fish," said the cook, "did you +catch them all?" + +"No I didn't," answered Norman turning away, for he was afraid the cook +would laugh at him, as Fanny had done, if he boasted of having caught +them. + +"Fanny, you should not laugh at Norman," observed Mrs Vallery, "he +cannot endure that sort of thing, as he has not been accustomed to it." + +"But, my dear Mary, don't you think it would be better that he should +learn to endure it, and get accustomed to be joked with?" said Mrs +Maclean. "When he goes to school he will be compelled to bear the jokes +of his companions, if he gets angry on such occasions, they will only +joke at him the more, and he will have a very uncomfortable time of it." + +"Poor boy! I am afraid what you say is true, but still, I do not +consider that his sister should be the person to teach him the +unpleasant lesson," answered Mrs Vallery. + +"I did not intend to hurt his feelings, and will find him and try to +comfort him as well as I can," said Fanny, putting up her work. + +Fanny found Norman just going into his room to get ready for tea. "I am +so sorry I laughed when you told us about the fish just now, Norman," +she said putting her hand on his arm; "I did not intend to laugh at you, +but only at what you said." + +"I do not see why you should have laughed at all, I don't like it, and +won't stand it, and you had better not do it again," he answered, +tearing himself away from her, and running into his room. She attempted +to follow, but he slammed the door in her face, and shot the bolt, so +that she could not enter. + +"My dear brother, do listen to me, I am very very sorry to have offended +you, and will not, if I can help it, laugh at you again," she said, much +grieved at his petulant behaviour. + +Norman made no answer, but she heard him stamping about in his room and +knocking over several things. + +Finding all her efforts vain, she got ready for tea, and went to the +dining-room, where that meal was spread in Highland fashion. + +Norman who was hungry, at last made his appearance. He went to his seat +without speaking or even looking at her. Mr Maclean who knew nothing +of what had passed, talked to him in his usual kind way, and promised to +take him out the next morning that he might commence his lessons in +fly-fishing. Norman being thus treated, was perfectly satisfied with +himself, and considered that Fanny alone was to blame for the +ill-feeling in which he allowed himself to indulge towards her. She +made several attempts to get him to speak, but to no purpose. + +How sad it was that Norman should have been able to place his head on +his pillow and not experience any feeling of compunction at doing so +without being reconciled to his gentle sister. + +Next morning he was up betimes, and went off soon after breakfast with +Mr Maclean to the loch. + +Fanny amused herself for some time with her little bird. It now knew +her so well that when she opened the door of its cage, it would fly out +as she called it, and come and perch on her finger, and when she put +some crumbs on the table, it would hop forward, turning its head about, +and pick them up one after the other, watching lest any stranger should +approach. If any one entered the room it immediately came close up to +Fanny, or perched on her hand, and seemed to feel that it was perfectly +safe while under her protection. It would not, however, venture out if +any one else was in the room. Fanny kept its cage hung up on a peg near +the window of her bedroom. She brought it down that morning to show to +Mrs Leslie. + +"I must give it a name, dear granny," she said; "can you help me? Do +you recollect the pretty story you used to read to me when I was a very +little girl, about the three robins--Dickey, and Flapsey, and Pecksy. I +have been thinking of calling it by one of those names, but I could not +make up my mind." + +"Which name do you like the best, my dear?" asked Mrs Leslie. + +"I think Pecksy. Pecksy was a good, obedient, little bird, and I am +sure my dear little bird is as good as a bird can be." + +"Then I think I would call it Pecksy, dear," answered Mrs Leslie; and +Fanny decided on so naming her little favourite. + +"Now you shall see, granny, how Pecksy will come out when I call it, if +you will just hold up your shawl as you sit in your arm-chair, so that +it may not see you; yet I am sure it would not be afraid of you if it +knew how kind you are, and I shall soon be able to teach it to love +you;" so Fanny placed the cage on a little table at the farther end of +the room, and, opening the door, went to some distance and called to +Pecksy, and out came Pecksy and perched on her fingers. She then, +talking to it and gently stroking its back, brought it quietly up to her +granny. Greatly to her delight, Pecksy did not appear at all afraid. + +"There, granny! there! I was sure Pecksy would learn to love you," she +exclaimed; and Pecksy looked up into the kind old lady's face, and +seemed perfectly satisfied that no harm would come to it. + +"Oh, I wish Norman would be fond of the little bird too," she said, "but +he does not seem to care about it, and thinks it beneath his notice; and +yet I have heard of many boys--not only little ones, but big boys, and +even grown-up men--who were fond of birds, and have tamed them, and +taught them to come to them, and learn to trust and love them." + +"I do, indeed, wish that Norman was fond of your little bird," observed +Mrs Leslie; "many noble and great men have been fond of dumb animals, +and have found pleasure in the companionship even of little birds. It +is no sign of true manliness to despise even the smallest of God's +creatures, or to treat them otherwise than with kindness. You remember +those lines of the poet Cowper which begin thus-- + + "`I would not enter on my list of friends + (Though graced with polished manners and fine sense, + Yet wanting sensibility) the man + Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.' + +"They refer rather to cruelty to animals, but they occurred to me just +now when thinking of Norman, and we must try to get him to learn them, +as I am afraid that he does not consider that all God's creatures have +feeling, and that he would carelessly injure them if they came in his +way." + +"I fear that at present he would do so, but then, he is very little," +said Fanny, "and perhaps if he learns those lines they may teach him to +be kinder than he now is to dumb animals; still, I am sure he would not +have the heart to hurt little Pecksy." + +Poor Fanny judged of Norman by herself, notwithstanding the way he had +so constantly behaved. She little thought of what he was capable of +doing, still less of what he would become capable as he grew older, +unless he was altogether changed. + +Fanny had just returned Pecksy to his cage when the laird and Norman +entered. Norman boasted of the way in which he had handled his rod. + +"Mr Maclean says that I shall soon become a first-rate fly-fisher," he +exclaimed. "I should have caught some fish to-day if I had had a hook. +He would not let me put one on for fear I should hook him or myself, but +I am determined to have one next time, and then you will see I shall +bring back a whole basketful of fish." + +Fanny did not laugh at what Norman said, though she felt much inclined +to do so. She remembered too well the effect her laughter had produced +on the previous evening, and she was most anxious not to irritate his +feelings. + +The laird had now, as he called it, taken Norman in hand, and for +several days allowed the boy to accompany him when he went fishing on +the loch. On each occasion he made him practise with his little rod and +line, but would not permit him to put on a hook, in spite of the earnest +request Norman made that he might be allowed to use one. + +"No, laddie, no; not till I see that you can throw a fly with sufficient +skill to entice a fish shall you use a hook while you are with me," he +answered. + +His refusal greatly annoyed Norman, who one day, losing his temper, +declared that unless he was allowed to have a hook he would not go out +any more in the boat. + +"Very well, laddie, ye maun just stay at home and amuse yourself as best +you can," was the answer he received from the laird, who, taking up his +rod, went off, accompanied by old Sandy, without him. + +Norman walked about the grounds in a very ill-humour, wishing that he +had kept his agreement with his good-natured host. At last, growing +tired of his own company, he returned to the house, thinking that a game +of some sort or other, even with Fanny, would be better than being all +alone. She, supposing that he had gone off with the laird, did not +expect to see him, and having brought Pecksy down to the library, was +amusing herself by playing with her little favourite. Having collected +some crumbs after breakfast in a paper, she brought them with her, and +seating herself in a large arm-chair at the library table, placed the +cage by her side, and took Pecksy out of it. Having given him one or +two crumbs, she thought she would make him run round and round the +table, and then from one end to the other, so she placed the crumbs at +intervals round the edge, and then in a line down the centre. + +"It would amuse granny to see Pecksy at my word of command hop round the +table, and then come back to me, and as she would not observe the +crumbs, she would wonder, till I told her how very obedient he has +become. But I would tell her directly afterwards, for I would not +really deceive her even in that way," Fanny said to herself. + +Fanny, having placed the crumbs, was delighted to find how well her plan +succeeded, for as soon as Pecksy had picked up one crumb, seeing another +before him, he hopped forward and picked that up, and so on, till he had +gone round the whole circle. + +Fanny had made him go through his performance once or twice, for she had +wisely put down very small crumbs indeed, so that his appetite was not +satisfied. Having placed Pecksy at the further end of the table where +she had left him a few crumbs to occupy his attention, she had just +resumed her seat, when, unperceived by her, Norman stole into the room. +A large book lay on a chair near him. On a sudden an evil thought +entered his mind. Pecksy was in his power, and he had an opportunity of +venting the ill-feeling he had long entertained against Fanny and her +little pet. + +Taking up the book, he stole round behind a high-backed chair, which was +placed against the table. Fanny was so engaged with her bird that she +did not see him. Rising up suddenly with the book in his hands, the +cruel boy let it fall directly down on the little bird. Perhaps he was +scarcely aware of the fatal consequences of his act, perhaps he thought +that the falling book would only frighten the bird, which would fly away +and save itself. We cannot bear to suppose that, ill-tempered as he +was, he could have meditated the destruction of his gentle sister's +little favourite. People often do not consider the sad results of their +evil temper and bad conduct. + +The book fell directly on poor little Pecksy. Fanny gave a cry of grief +and terror. + +"Oh, what have you done, Norman!" she exclaimed, as she saw his face +just above the chair, with an expression, oh how different to what she +could have supposed that of her little brother could wear. + +He did not utter a word, but gazed intently at the book. She lifted it +up. There lay her dear little Pecksy motionless. She took the bird up +in her hands, examining it anxiously, while the tears fell fast from her +eyes. + +Norman, conscience-stricken for the first time in his life, could not +bear to look at her any longer, and rushed out of the room. + +"Oh, what have I done! what have I done!" he exclaimed; "it cannot be +dead! the book was not so very big--that could not have killed it all in +a moment." + +He was afraid of meeting anybody, and he hurried out into the grounds. +At first he ran very fast, supposing that some one would come after him, +then finding that he was not pursued, he went at a slower pace. On +reaching the woods he turned off the path and plunged into them to hide +himself. First he crouched down beneath some thick bushes, thinking +that no one would discover him there, but he felt too uncomfortable to +stay long quiet--he must keep moving on. Slowly he made his way through +the woods. He thought he heard footsteps. He tried to push deeper into +the woods. On and on he went--he tore his clothes, and scratched his +face and hands, he did not know where he was going, he did not care-- +provided he could keep out of the way of everybody. Never before had he +been so miserable, his feelings at last became intolerable. + +"Perhaps after all the bird is not dead," he thought. + +The idea brought him some relief. "I must go back and try and find +out," he said to himself. "If I hear Fanny crying, and making a noise, +I will run off again. I could not face mamma and granny and the rest of +them if they were to know that I had killed Fanny's bird." + +To his surprise, as he went on through the woods, he suddenly saw the +house directly before him. He ran towards it. He met the gardener, +who, however, took no notice of him. "He at all events knows nothing +about what has happened," he thought. At a little distance off was Mrs +Maclean with scissors in hand, trimming; her roses, but she only looked +up for a moment, wondering why Norman should be running about without +his hat. + +"It's all right, the bird cannot have been killed after all," he +thought. + +He entered the house, and went into the library. There sat Fanny in the +arm-chair, hiding her weeping eyes with one hand, while in the other, +which rested on the table, lay poor little Pecksy. Norman, stealing up +close to her, gazed at the bird. It lay on its back with its delicate +little legs in the air, its feathers were ruffled, and a drop of blood +was on its beak. + +"It does not move, but perhaps it is sleeping," thought Norman; "yet I +never saw a bird sleep in that way. I am afraid it must be dead; and if +it is, what will Fanny do to me? She will box my ears harder than she +ever did, and then she will tell the laird, and he will whip me, to a +certainty." + +Norman moved a little nearer. Fanny heard him, and, lifting up her head +from her hand, she looked at him for a moment, and said in a low voice-- + +"O Norman, poor Pecksy is dead," and then again burst into tears. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +SORROW IS NOT REPENTANCE. + +Norman had intended to run away and hide himself should he find that he +really had killed the little bird. He was sure that Fanny and everybody +else would be ready to beat him, but her gentle, though reproachful, +tone greatly calmed his fears. + +"If she is not angry, I suppose that others will not be," he thought, as +he stood by her side, with his eyes still fixed on the dead bird. "I +wish I had not done it; if I had frightened her by merely letting the +book drop near the bird, it would have been enough. Oh dear! oh dear! +I wish I could bring it to life again! Can it really be dead?" + +As these expressions were uttered in a very low voice, they did not +reach Fanny's ears. For some minutes she did not move. He could not +longer endure to watch her silent grief. + +"Fanny," he said, in a gentle voice, very unusual for him, "is little +Pecksy really dead? Do look and see; perhaps you can make it come to +life again. I wish you could; I am so sorry I hit it so hard." + +Fanny lifted her head from her hands, and turned her eyes towards the +little bird. She got up from her chair, and examined it carefully. + +"Give it something to eat, perhaps that will make it move about," +suggested Norman. + +Fanny shook her head. She tried to open its beak, but could not +succeed. + +"O Norman, it already feels quite cold. It cannot open its beak, and +its legs are stiff. It will never hop about any more, or pick up +crumbs, or come flying to me, or sing in the morning to wake me up; +poor, dear, little Pecksy is really dead." + +All this time she did not utter a word of anger or reproach. Instead of +rushing at Norman and boxing his ears, as he had expected, she stood +still, contemplating with grief her dead bird. Again the tears trickled +from her eyes. For the first time in his life Norman felt ashamed of +himself. + +"I am very sorry," he murmured; "I did not intend to kill the bird." + +"I was sure you did not," she said. "I do not think any human being +could be so cruel." + +"No, I did not--I did not," said Norman. "But do you think that anybody +else can make it live again?" + +"Oh, no, no; I am sure no one can," answered Fanny. + +"Then, what are you going to do? Tell them all that I killed it?" asked +Norman. + +"I would rather you did that yourself," said Fanny. "I cannot; it would +break my heart to talk about it, and I should be so very, very sorry to +say how it happened." + +"Then you really mean to say that you do not wish to tell granny or +mamma, or to get Mr Maclean to whip me?" he asked, in a tone of +surprise. + +"Yes, indeed, Norman, I would much rather not have to tell granny or +mamma, and I have not for a moment thought of asking Mr Maclean to +punish you." + +"Still, they must all know it," said Norman, "and what will they do when +you tell them?" + +"They would, of course, be very angry if they could think you did it on +purpose," said Fanny. "That is the reason why I wish you to tell them +yourself. Mamma, and granny, and Mrs Maclean are in the drawing-room +now, and they will be wondering why I am so long away. Could you not go +in at once and tell them what has happened, and ask granny to come to +me. I cannot go in by myself with poor little Pecksy in my hand. It +would make them all so sad." + +Norman felt very unwilling to do as his sister advised, still he could +not help seeing that it was the best plan, though a very disagreeable +one. In consequence of the way Fanny had spoken to him, he had no +longer any fears about himself. + +"If she is not angry with me, they cannot be." He stood, however, +irresolute for some time, thinking whether he would or would not go--if +he did go, what he should say. Fanny again urged him to go at once. + +"If you do not, I must, as I cannot stay longer away from the +drawing-room," she said. + +Norman at last made up his mind to go. He approached the drawing-room +door, but stood outside before he could venture to turn the handle. + +"I wish I had not killed that bird," he again said to himself. "It did +me no harm, and Fanny does not treat me as I thought she would, and as I +should have treated her if she had killed a bird of mine which I was +fond of. I should have flown at her, and kicked her, and scolded at her +day after day, and do not think I should ever have forgiven her; but she +does not even say a word to me, and tries to think that I did not wish +to hurt the bird. I knew well enough that big book would kill the +little creature, and I tried to make it fall just on the top of it. I +know I did; and all because I was angry with Fanny, and that little +Robby, and his grandfather who gave her the bird. I only wish that they +all would be very angry. It would be better than treating me as Fanny +has done." + +At last Norman put his hand on the door handle. He turned it, and +entering, walked forward till he stood before the three ladies, who were +seated at their work. + +"Well, Norman, what brings you here? We thought you were out fishing +with the laird," said his granny, looking up from under her spectacles. + +"I have been and thrown a book on Fanny's bird, and it's dead. She +asked me to come and tell you," said Norman in a gruff voice; "and, +granny, she wants you to go to her. I wish I had not done it, that's +all I have got to say." + +Having uttered these words he stood stock still, as if he was ready to +receive any scoldings the ladies might think fit to administer. + +"You have killed Fanny's bird!" exclaimed Mrs Leslie and his mamma. +"What, could make you do that?" + +"I don't know, I wish I hadn't; but I am not going to say any more," +answered Norman. + +"I will go to poor Fanny and try to comfort her, if the bird is really +dead," said Mrs Leslie rising. + +"Norman, come here," said his mamma, as soon as his granny had left the +room. "If you have really killed Fanny's bird on purpose, you have done +a cruel thing. We are expecting your papa here this afternoon. When he +hears of it, he will, I am sure, be very angry, and will punish you as +he did the other day, before we left home." + +"I do not mind if he does," said Norman. "When I threw the book, I did +not care whether I killed the bird or not." + +"I am afraid that Norman is a very naughty boy," observed Mrs Maclean, +who did not understand the feeling which prompted him to say this. "You +know the advice I have often given you, my dear Mary, and I hope when +Captain Vallery comes, he will see the necessity of punishing him when +he behaves ill, more severely than he appears hitherto to have done." + +Norman looked up at Mrs Maclean with a frown on his brow. He was +beginning again to harden his heart, which had been softened by Fanny's +grief and the gentle way she had spoken to him. + +"I don't thank you for saying that, old lady," he thought. "If papa +whips me, I shall remember who advised him to do so," and he determined +to say no more. In vain his mamma and Mrs Maclean asked him why he had +killed the bird, the latter continuing to scold him severely for some +minutes. + +At last Mrs Leslie came back leading Fanny, whose countenance still +showed traces of her grief. As she entered the room she heard Mrs +Maclean's last remarks. + +"Oh, do not scold Norman," she said coming up to her, "do not be angry, +dear mamma! I am sure he is very sorry for what he has done, and I want +to forgive him; indeed I do, I do not wish that he should be punished in +any way." + +Norman had not for a moment supposed that his sister would attempt to +defend him, and, touched by her forgiving spirit, he ran up to her and +took her hand. + +"Thank you, Fanny," he said, "I do not mind how much scolding I get, for +I deserve it, and I wish you would scold me too, but yet I can bear from +others much more than I can from you." + +Fanny only replied by kissing him. She then took his hand. + +"Come with me, Norman," she said, "granny has been telling me what we +had better do, and if you will help me we will do it at once. Granny +has promised that she will not scold you," she whispered in his ear. + +Norman cast a half-timid grateful glance at his granny, he did not +venture to look at Mrs Maclean and mamma, and willingly accompanied +Fanny out of the room. "What is it you want to do, Fanny?" he asked as +she led him back into the study. + +"I want you to help me to bury poor Pecksy," she answered. "Granny +says, that as long as we see him, we shall be thinking about him, but +that if he is buried, we shall by degrees forget all about this sad +event, and we will therefore bury him as soon as we can. I propose that +we should get the little cart, and and that we should put some boughs on +it, and place Pecksy on the top of them, and draw him to a quiet part of +the grounds, and that you should dig a grave. We will then put a +tomb-stone, and I will write an epitaph to put on it. I have been +thinking what I should write, and I have made up my mind to put simply, +`Here lies Pecksy, the feathered friend of Fanny Vallery.' If I was to +write when he died, or how he was killed, or anything of that sort, it +might remind me of what I want to forget. Don't you think that will be +very nice." + +"Oh yes," answered Norman, "I like your idea. I will dig the grave. I +will go and ask the gardener to lend me a spade or a pickaxe, or a hoe +or some tool to dig with, and we will set out at once." + +The children having formed the plan, at once carried it out. Norman ran +off to the gardener and told him what he wanted. + +"A spade or a pickaxe is rather too much for you to handle, my laddie," +he answered, "but you shall have a hoe, which will be big enough to dig +a little birdie's grave." + +Norman having obtained the tool hurried back with it to the yard, where +he found Fanny, who had got the cart ready. The gardener understanding +what they wanted cut a number of boughs, which placed across the cart +formed in their opinion a very appropriate hearse. + +Fanny then went back and brought out poor little Pecksy, followed by +Norman, who acted as chief mourner. The bird being placed in due form +on its bier, they set forth, Fanny drawing the hearse, and Norman +carrying the hoe over his shoulder. He looked and indeed felt very sad, +while the tears dropped from Fanny's eyes. Still, perhaps, she was not +very unhappy, she could scarcely have been so, with the consciousness +that she had acted in a forgiving loving spirit, sorry as she was, +however, to have lost her little bird. + +They soon reached the spot which Fanny had selected for the grave. It +was by her granny's advice somewhat out of the way. + +"See, Norman," she observed, "it is better here than in a part of the +garden we have often to pass, because we need not come here except +perhaps by-and-by when we shall have ceased to think so much about poor +little Pecksy." + +The trees grew thickly around the spot, but there was an open space of +two or three feet. Here the ground being soft, Norman soon dug a grave. +It was not very deep, nor long, nor wide, but quite large enough for +the purpose. + +Having deposited the little bird in it, after Fanny had given one last +glance at her pet, Norman covered it up. They then surrounded the grave +with the boughs which had served for a bier, and having finished all +they could then think of doing, they returned to the house. + +On their way they met the gardener, who had, at the request of their +granny, prepared a smooth piece of hard wood. Fanny, thanking him, took +it into the house, and as she was very neat-handed with her pen, she +soon managed to write out the epitaph she proposed. + +With this they returned to the tiny grave, and set it up at one end. + +"We have one thing more to do though," she said, "come and help me to +pick some wild-flowers--the smallest we can find." + +Having collected a number, she neatly formed a pretty little wreath. + +"The French, and other people I have read of, have the custom of placing +wreaths of flowers on the tombs of their friends, and so that is why I +thought of putting one on Pecksy's grave," she observed. "I might have +picked some from the garden, but I think wild-flowers are more suited to +the little bird." + +She stood gazing at the spot, after she had deposited the wreath for a +minute or two. + +"There, we can do no more," she said, with a sigh, as she took Norman's +hand. "We will go home now, and, O Norman, if you will try to be a good +boy, and love me and everybody else, I shall not mind so much having +lost dear little Pecksy." + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +THE DREAM. + +Norman walked on by the side of his sister towards the house without +speaking. Her heart was too full to say anything more. She found it, +indeed, very difficult to forgive her brother from the bottom of her +heart, and to love him notwithstanding all he had done. + +Norman little thought as he walked by her side how kindly she felt to +him. He fancied that she was only thinking about her little dead bird, +and mourning for its loss. He was ashamed to look up into her face, as +he would have done, had his conscience not accused him--for although he +tried to persuade himself that he had not intended actually to kill the +bird, yet he well knew that he had harboured the thought day after day, +and often as he murmured to himself, "I did not want to kill it," a +voice said to him, "Norman, you know that you did want to kill it." + +How different was the expression in the countenance of the two children. +Although both were handsome, that of Norman showed his irritable +discontented disposition. By the time they reached the house Fanny had +dried her tears, and hers exhibited the sweet gentle temper which +animated her. + +As they got near the house they saw Mrs Leslie, who had come out into +the garden. Fanny ran forward to meet her, and taking her hand said-- + +"Dear granny it is all over, Norman is very sorry, so when papa comes +this evening, I hope that he may not hear about my poor birdie, and that +we shall both look smiling and happy." + +"I hope so, my dear, and I am very sure that neither your mamma nor Mrs +Maclean will tell him of what has occurred." + +"Oh, I shall be so much obliged to them," answered Fanny, "it is what I +have been dreading more than anything else, for I never saw Norman look +so grieved for anything he has done." + +"That is a great step in the right direction, but he has still much to +learn, and many faults to correct, and those faults he will not correct +unless his heart is changed," answered Mrs Leslie. + +"O dear granny, that is what I have been praying it may be," said Fanny, +"and you have often told me that God hears prayers even of weak little +girls like me." + +"Yes, indeed, He does, and I trust that your prayers and mine, and your +mamma's, will be answered in His good time. God accomplishes His ends +as He judges best; and we must not despair, even if we do not see Norman +behave as well as we could wish all at once." + +The subject of this conversation had been standing at some distance, +with his head cast down, unwilling to approach his grandmamma, for he +was afraid that he might receive another scolding, and was beginning to +harden his heart to resist it. + +"Come here, my dear Norman," said Mrs Leslie. "You know how I love +you, for you are my only little grandson, and how anxious I am that you +should be good and happy, and prosper in this world. This makes me very +glad to hear what Fanny has been telling me, my dear child. We will all +pray, that you will be enabled to keep to your good resolutions, but you +must also pray for yourself. Then remember, my dear child, that God's +eye is upon you, that nothing you can think, or say, or do, is unknown +to Him, that He is aware of every thought which enters your mind, that +He sees even the most trifling thing you do, and hears every word you +utter. He wishes you to be happy, and if you try to obey Him, He will +enable you to be so. He is more loving than your papa or mamma, or your +sister, or I can be." + +Norman listened attentively to all his grandmamma said. He might not +clearly have understood every word, but he certainly did her meaning; +and as she spoke so kindly and gently to him instead of scolding him, as +he thought she would, he thought he would try to do as she wished him. + +The children were in their garden dresses; Norman's was much torn from +his scramble through the woods. Fanny had on one which her mamma had +brought from France, like that of a peasant girl, which was well suited +for wandering about the hills and moors. + +After they had walked some time with their grandmamma, she desired them +to go in and dress, that they might be ready to receive their papa. +They were hurrying up to their rooms, when, as they passed the library +door, which was open, Fanny caught sight of her little pet's cage still +on the floor where she had left it. + +"Oh, it must not remain there! what shall we do with it?" she said, as +she went in followed by Norman. + +The sight of the empty cage was more than she could bear. She took it +up, and, looking at it for a moment, burst into tears. For some time +she stood with her arm resting on the table, supporting her head in her +hand. + +"I did not think I should feel so much for poor, dear, little Pecksy," +she said, trying to restrain her tears. + +Norman stood by crying also. He could now sympathise with his sweet +sister; but a short time before he would have been inclined to laugh at +her tears, and "I did it; I did it," he said to himself. "Oh, how cruel +I was; I wish Mr Maclean had come at once, and heard all about it and +beat me, I am sure I deserve it; and the little bird, instead of singing +merrily in the cage, now lies in the black earth all by itself. Oh, +what a cruel, naughty boy I have been!" Such thoughts passed through +the mind of Norman though he did not speak them aloud. He rubbed his +eyes with the back of his hands, and looked up sorrowfully at his +sister. + +At last Fanny recovered herself. + +"I will carry the cage to granny," she said; "she will take care of it +till we can return it to old Alec, for I could never bear to see another +little bird in it." + +Fanny felt this at the moment, but, probably, she would in time have +thought differently. + +She took the cage to her grandmamma's room. + +Norman stood outside while she went in. + +Mrs Leslie promised to do what she wished, and she then went and +assisted Norman to dress. He made no resistance now, but let her wash +his face and hands as thoroughly as she thought necessary; and he went +and got his things and put them on himself, giving her as little trouble +as possible. + +Fanny was rapid in all her movements, and never dawdled over her toilet, +so that she was quickly ready. + +Norman on going into the hall met the laird, who had just come back from +a long day's fishing excursion, with a basketful of fine trout. + +"Well, my laddie, I wish you had gone with me, for you would have seen +some good sport," he observed. "I was sorry that you did not keep to +your promise." + +"I will behave properly another time," answered Norman; "I know I was +obstinate and naughty for not doing as you wished." + +"Well, laddie, I am glad to hear you say that, and I hope we shall have +many a day's fishing together," was the answer. + +"Thank you, Mr Maclean," said Norman. "I want to try and do as I am +told. If you had taken me with you I should not have killed Fanny's +poor little bird." + +"What do you mean?" asked the laird. + +Then Norman told him all that had occurred, adding-- + +"And I wish you would beat me, Mr Maclean, for I am sure I deserve it." + +"Boys only are whipped who are obstinate, and are not sorry for what +they have done, and just to teach them right from wrong when they do not +know it," answered the laird. "I am glad to see that you are sorry, and +that you do know that you did wrong; so, laddie, I cannot oblige you, +you see, unless Fanny asks me." + +"Oh, she will not ask you, for she has forgiven me, and is so kind, and +wants to forget all about it," said Norman bursting into tears. + +"That is just like her, the sweet little creature," said the laird to +himself, adding aloud, "If your sister has forgiven you, and you are +sorry for what you have done, I have no reason to be angry or to whip +you, so, my laddie, we will not talk of that any more. At the same +time, I do not advise you to try and forget the matter, but just always +think how kind your sister is, and try to please her, and be as kind to +her as possible." + +While the laird retired to dress, Norman went into the drawing-room. No +one was there. He did not know how to amuse himself. He wished that he +could read; but he had not yet made sufficient progress to enable him to +find any pleasure in a book. He hunted about for some of Fanny's +picture-books, but she had taken them upstairs, with the exception of +one which he did not care much about. For want of a better, however, he +took it to the table, and, clambering into a high-backed chair which +stood at it, tried to make out the meaning of the lines at the bottom of +the page with the aid of the pictures. + +He had been more agitated during the day than usual, and he felt very +weary. Gradually his head dropped down on his arms, which were resting +on the table, and he fell fast asleep. Still he thought that he was +broad awake. To his surprise he saw before him the bird-cage, which he +was sure Fanny had taken up to granny's room, for he had seen her go in +with it; but there it stood on the table directly before him. Presently +he heard a chirping sound, just as the linnet used to sing, and looking +up, there, growing out of nothing, was the branch of a tree, and several +little birds exactly like Pecksy perched upon it, while many more were +flying through the sky towards him, and evidently coming down to join +the others. Instead of singing merrily, however, like little Pecksy, +their voices had a croaking angry sound. By degrees the voices changed +from the notes of birds into those of human beings. + +"Naughty, naughty boy!" said a voice which seemed to come from behind, +"why did you kill Pecksy?" + +Norman looked round. There, at the back of his chair he saw perched a +bird which nodded its head up and down, and glared at him with its +bright little eyes. He was too much frightened to reply; indeed, he had +nothing to say for himself. + +"You will not answer, then I must answer for you," said the voice, which +evidently came from the bird, and though it spoke like a human being, +yet it had the sound of a bird's notes, only much louder and shriller +than any bird he had ever heard. + +"You know that you were angry with little Robby, and jealous of your +sweet sister, and that when old Alec gave her our little brother you +resolved to kill it on the first opportunity. You thought of doing that +cruel deed not only then, but day after day, and you watched for an +opportunity. The opportunity came, and when you let the heavy book fall +down on the poor little innocent creature, you knew perfectly well that +it must kill him, if it did not press him as flat as a pancake. We will +not forget what you have done, Master Norman Vallery. When you come +into the garden we will not sing to you sweetly, but we will croak at +you like so many crows, and call you `Naughty, naughty boy!' When you +run away we will follow you, for we can fly faster than you can run, and +we will perch on the branches round you, and croak out, `Naughty, +naughty boy!' When you run on still farther to get away from us, we +will fly on either side of you, and will croak out, `Naughty, naughty +boy!'" + +"Oh, do not, do not, please do not!" murmured Norman, though he spoke so +low that he did not think the bird could hear him. "I will try not to +be jealous of Fanny, or to be angry with her or anybody else." + +"We do not trust you," said the bird on the back of his chair. + +"We won't trust you," echoed the others, perched on the branch. "We +shall do as we have said; you will find that we can keep our promise, +though you are ready enough to break yours. Who killed cock robin, who +killed cock robin, who killed cock robin?" sang the birds in chorus. +"That little boy there, with his head on the table!" answered the bird +at the back of his chair. "But he did not do it with a bow and arrow, +he did it with a big heavy book, and it was not cock robin he killed, +but our dear little brother Pecksy, the naughty, naughty boy!" + +"Oh, I am so sorry!" groaned Norman. "You are right, I own that you are +right, but do not scold me any more." + +"We shall see how you behave yourself. If you are a good boy we may +relent, but if not, when you go into the woods, instead of singing +sweetly as we do to your sister, and trying our best to give her +pleasure, we will keep our promise, and croak in your ears, `Naughty, +naughty boy!'" + +Norman tried to cry out, to ask the birds not to be so angry with him. +Just then he heard another voice saying-- + +"My dear Norman, you are sleeping very uncomfortably with your head on +the table, let me put you on the sofa. Your papa will soon be here, and +after a little rest you will look fresh and ready to receive him." + +Norman lifted up his head and saw his mamma leaning over him. + +The cage was gone, and the branch with all the birds on it had +disappeared. He looked round, expecting to see the angry little bird at +the back of his chair, but that had gone also, and he found, greatly to +his relief, that he had been dreaming. + +He told his mamma what he had seen. + +"It was all your fancy, Norman," she answered, "you were over-excited +and tired. I will sit by you and take care that the birds do not come +back again." + +His mamma placed him on the sofa and sat down by his side. + +Norman was very soon again fast asleep, but the birds did not return, he +only heard Fanny's sweet voice telling him how much she loved him, and +wished to forgive him all the harm he had done. He awoke much refreshed +and happier than he had been for a long time. + +"Here is papa! here is Captain Vallery!" he heard several voices +exclaim. + +Directly afterwards Captain Vallery entered the drawing-room with his +mamma and Fanny who had run out to meet him. Norman jumped up from the +sofa. + +"Why, my dear boy, you look rosy and well and fat, as if the Highland +air agreed with you," said his papa, stooping down and kissing him. +"Why mamma, how grown he is. You will soon be a big boy, and able to +play at cricket and football, and fish and shoot." + +"I can answer for it that he will soon be able to fish if he follows my +directions," observed the laird. "He already has some notion of +throwing a fly, and I hope in the course of a year or two that he will +turn out a good fisher." + +"I hope he will turn out a good boy," observed Mrs Leslie, "for that is +of more consequence, and I trust that he will become some day all we can +desire." + +"No fear of that, granny, I hope," observed Captain Vallery; "Norman is +my son, and I intend that my son shall become a first-rate fellow." + +Norman felt proud of hearing his father speak of him in that way. At +the same time he was afraid that somehow or other he might hear of his +misdeeds, and be inclined to change his opinion. If his grandmamma and +Fanny did not say what he had done, his mamma might, or Mrs Maclean, or +the laird, or perhaps some of the servants, for he had never taken any +pains to ingratiate himself with them. + +This prevented him from feeling as happy as he otherwise might have +been. + +The laird insisted that the children should come down to dessert. + +In consequence of their papa's arrival, dinner was much later than +usual. + +Fanny would only accept a little fruit and a small cake, but Norman, who +was hungry, and liked good things, eagerly gobbled up as many cakes and +as much fruit as the laird, near whom he sat, offered him. When he had +finished, without asking anybody's leave, he put out his hand and helped +himself to a peach which was in a plate temptingly near. Having +finished it, he looked towards the dish of cakes which was at a little +distance. + +"I should like some of those, now," he said, pointing at them. + +"Ye are a braw laddie, ye tak' your meat," observed the laird. "Pray, +Mrs Vallery, hand me the cakes." + +His mamma made signs to Norman that he should not have asked for them, +but he did not attend to her, and when the laird handed him the dish he +helped himself to several, and began to eat them up quickly, fearing +that they might be taken from him. + +"My dear, you will make that child ill," observed Mrs Maclean, +addressing her husband from the other end of the table. + +Norman looked round very indignantly at her, and helped himself again. + +Mrs Maclean had from the first perceived that Norman was allowed to +have too much of his own way. He had discovered this, and was inclined +to consider her as his personal enemy. Not content with what he had +already obtained, as soon as he had emptied his plate, he helped himself +to another cake or two from the plate which the laird had left near him. +Mrs Maclean shook her head, and looked at Mrs Leslie. + +"Norman, you really must not eat so much," said his grandmamma. + +"I am not eating much," he answered in an angry tone, forgetting his +good resolutions. "You all have had dinner, and it's very hard that I +should be told I must not eat when I am hungry." + +The laird, who was amused at the remark, laughed heartily. "You follow +the example of the renowned Captain Dalgetty, and lay in a store when +you have the opportunity." + +"Captain Dalgetty was an old soldier of fortune, and never knew when he +might next find a meal, and Norman is a little boy, and is very sure to +have a sufficient breakfast to-morrow morning," observed Mrs Leslie, +"so pray Mr Maclean, do not let him have any more dessert." + +"Mr Maclean is very kind, and you are all very ill-natured," exclaimed +Norman angrily. + +"Then it is time we should leave the table and carry you along with us, +young gentleman," exclaimed Mrs Maclean, rising. + +Norman was now thoroughly out of temper, and in contempt of his granny, +who sat opposite to him, he seized another cake, which he crammed into +his mouth. His grandmamma again shook her head at him, and then rising, +came round to take him from his chair. + +"Wish Mr Maclean good-night, and go and kiss your papa," she said, "for +it is time for you to go to bed, I am sure." + +Norman did not wish to leave the table as long as he could get anything +on it, and obstinately kept his seat. + +Fanny felt very much vexed at seeing him behave in this way, and hurried +up to assist her granny, not supposing for a moment that he would still +refuse to go. + +He held on to the table, and she had some difficulty in dragging him +away. Forgetting all her loving-kindness in the morning, as she +attempted to pull him away, he struck out at her with his little fists, +and hit her a severe blow on the face. She endeavoured not to cry out, +or to show any one what he had done, for indeed she felt more pain on +his account than on her own. The laird, who had gone to open the door, +did not see what had occurred. + +"Let me go that I may wish papa good-night," said Norman, tearing +himself away from Fanny, and running towards Captain Vallery. + +"Good-night, my boy," said his papa, who also had not observed his +ill-behaviour. "When I unpack my portmanteau I hope to find some things +for you and Fanny. You shall see them to-morrow morning." + +"Cannot you let me have them to-night? I hope you have got something I +like," said Norman, without any thought of thanking his papa for his +kindness. + +"I am afraid you must wait till to-morrow," answered Captain Vallery, +not rebuking him. "I have not had time to unpack my portmanteau, so you +must have patience." + +"I want the things now," said Norman; "everybody is trying to vex me." + +"Go to bed, you are tired," said Captain Vallery soothingly. "Here, +Fanny come and take the poor child off, I see that he has been sitting +up too long." + +Norman, indeed, looked flushed and ill, and Fanny hoped that after a +night's rest, he would recollect his promise to try and behave well. +Though he still resisted, she managed to lead him from the room. + +"Leave me alone, Fanny," he exclaimed, as soon as they reached the +drawing-room. "I don't want to go to bed, I had some sleep this +afternoon, I have as much right to sit up as anybody else has," and +again he struck out at her. + +"My dear Norman, have you already forgotten the promises you made to be +a good boy?" she said gently. "Oh, do try and restrain your temper." + +"I did not say I would be good, if people were ill-natured to me, and +granny and Mrs Maclean wanted to stop me from having dessert, and I +should have liked some more, and the laird would have given it me, if it +had not been for them," he answered petulantly. "I never liked old +women, and I do not like them now." + +"Hush, hush, Norman," cried Fanny horrified, and fearing that they might +overhear him. "Do go to bed quietly, and I will come and help you if +mamma will let me." + +Mrs Vallery who had come from the farther end of the room, observing +that Norman looked flushed and angry, although she had not heard what he +had said, thought it advisable without further delay to carry him off to +bed. He resisted, however, and said he was not sleepy and would not go. + +Mrs Maclean now came to his mamma's assistance. She had no notion of a +little boy behaving as Norman was doing. "Hoity, toity, young +gentleman, I cannot have you treat your mamma in this way in my house, +so come along this instant, and do not let me hear another word from +you." + +Norman looked very angry at Mrs Maclean, but he obeyed her, for he had +sense enough left to know that he had better do as she bid him, for fear +she should tell his papa how he had treated Fanny's bird. + +Alas! all his good resolutions had been scattered to the winds. He now, +however, went quietly enough with his mamma. When he got to his room, +he gave her as much trouble as he could, and declared that he was too +sleepy to say his prayers, though just before he had been asserting that +he was not at all sleepy, and did not wish to go to bed. She, in vain, +begged him to do so, and had at last, as she often had before done, to +kneel down by his bedside and pray for him. He turned his face away +from her, when she bade him good-night, and only mumbled a reply. There +are, I am afraid, many more little boys like Norman, who do not regret +how much pain they give those who love them best. + +Poor Fanny was especially grieved. She had flattered herself that happy +days were coming, when Norman would be gentle and obliging, and all she +could wish, and now he appeared to be as naughty as ever. + +I do not know whether the little birds again visited him in his dreams, +and croaked and scolded him, and told him that he was a very, very +naughty boy, but I am very certain that his dreams could not have been +pleasant. + +Fanny had another cause for regret, when she looked up at the spot where +the cage with her little favourite in it used to hang, and no cage was +there. Had Norman continued to show that he was sorry, and was really +going to behave better, she would not she thought have felt her loss so +much. As soon as she was up in the morning, she went in as usual to +help her brother, who though he declared that he could dress himself, +never managed to do so properly. He appeared to be in a better temper +than on the previous evening. + +"Good morning, Fanny," he said, jumping up. "I won't keep you long, for +I want to get downstairs as soon as possible to see the things papa has +brought us. I wonder what they are." + +"I am sure they are what we shall like," said Fanny, "though I did not +know that he had brought anything." + +"He has brought me something at all events," said Norman, "for he told +me so, and I hope that he will bring them, when he comes downstairs, or +perhaps he would give them to me if I went to his room." + +"Pray, don't do that," said Fanny. "It will appear as if you were more +eager to learn what he has brought than to see him, and he may not have +time before breakfast to unpack his large portmanteau." + +Norman felt vexed that his sister should give him this advice, and +somewhat unwillingly accompanied her downstairs. + +Mrs Maclean, who was in the breakfast-room, received Fanny in her +usually affectionate way. + +"Good-morrow to you, young gentleman; I hope you have slept yourself +into a pleasanter humour than you went to bed with," she said, as she +held out her hand, and made him a formal curtsey. + +Norman did not like her salutation, but the awe he felt for her, +prevented him from making a rude answer which rose to his lips. + +"I hope Norman will be a good boy to-day, Mrs Maclean," said Fanny, +wishing to apologise for him. "He was tired last night, and did not +know exactly what he was about." + +"But little boys should know what they are about," observed the lady. +"However, we will hope for the best, and I shall be glad to see him eat +his porridge with an appetite." + +"Are you prepared, Fanny, for an excursion to-day? We have been asked +to join some friends in a picnic at Glen Corpach, and as there are +several young people among the families who have promised to come, you +will have companions of your own age." + +"I shall be delighted. What a lovely day for it too," exclaimed Fanny, +"and I am sure Norman will like it very much." + +Norman wondered what a picnic could mean. + +"Is there to be fun of any sort? What are we to do?" he asked. + +"My idea of a picnic," answered Fanny, "is, that people collect at a +beautiful spot, and bring pies and chickens and all sorts of things to +eat, and spread them out on a table-cloth on the grass; and sit round it +on the ground, and talk merrily, and laugh; and that some facetious old +gentleman makes a funny speech; and songs are sung; and that here in +Scotland there is a bag-piper; and that people get up and dance, and the +young ladies have their sketch-books, and when tired of dancing make +sketches and ramble about among the rocks. That then a gipsy-fire is +lighted, and tea is made, and that after that, perhaps there is more +dancing. At last the time comes for people to start, and they all drive +home again. I went with granny to a picnic like that last year, and she +enjoyed it very much, and I am sure I did." + +"You have given a very good description of what, I daresay, our proposed +picnic will be like," said Mrs Maclean; "and I hope you will enjoy it +as much as you did yours last year. I have no doubt there will be a +piper, and, perhaps, two or three, and that they will do their best to +make the hills resound with their music." + +"I think it will be very stupid if we do nothing else than that," said +Norman. "It might be better if we could shoot or fish, or if there is a +boat in which the other boys and I can row about." + +"I daresay our friends will try to find amusement for you little boys as +well as for the older persons of the party, though, if you wish it, we +might possibly make arrangements to leave you behind," observed Mrs +Maclean. + +"No, no, I should not like that," answered Norman, shaking his head. "I +will go to see what is done." + +Mrs Maclean smiled at the young gentleman's answer. + +The rest of the party soon entered the breakfast-room. Captain Vallery +came last. Fanny jumped up to throw her arms round his neck and kiss +him; but Norman did not leave his seat; he had been looking out for the +presents of which his papa had spoken. He was much disappointed when he +saw him deposit two small parcels on the sideboard. + +"We will look at them after prayers," he observed. + +Mr Maclean kept to the good custom of having all the servants in to +morning prayers, and reading to them from God's Word. Norman attended +very little to what was said, as he was wondering all the time what +could be in the parcels. + +"I wish they had been bigger," he thought, "for I am afraid papa has, +after all, brought some stupid little things which I shall not care +about, and perhaps Fanny's will be better than mine." + +The patience of Norman was still further to be tried, for his papa, who +was hungry, forgot all about the presents, and took his seat with the +rest of the party at the breakfast table. + +"Come, my boy, eat your porridge, or it will begetting cold," said Mr +Maclean, lifting Norman into the air, and placing him down in the chair +as if he had been a little baby. + +Norman felt indignant, as he liked to be treated as a big boy. He was, +however, in spite of his curiosity, glad to swallow his porridge, and to +eat some bacon, with a slice or two of bread and preserves, which Mr +Maclean placed in succession upon his plate. + +At last he could no longer restrain his anxiety to know what his papa +had brought. Fanny also thought she should like to know, but had +refrained from saying anything. + +"What have you brought for us there?" he asked at length, pointing +towards them. + +"You may bring them and we will see," answered his papa. + +Norman jumped up, and, seizing the parcels, began tearing them open. + +"Stop, stop!" cried his grandmamma, who observed him. "You do not know +which is for you; and your papa told you to bring them." + +Norman paid but little attention to what Mrs Leslie said, and had +almost torn one of them open before his papa took them. + +"We must look at the one for Fanny first, as she is a young lady," +observed Captain Vallery, feeling the parcels, and undoing one, he +presented Fanny with a box which had a glass top, and inside of it was a +white swan with three gaily-coloured fish. + +"If we had a basin of water we should be able to make the swan and fish +swim about," said Captain Vallery; "I never saw anything of the sort +before, and was sure Fanny would like it." + +Now Fanny had not only seen but possessed a magnetic toy similar to the +one her papa had brought her. She had, however, given it away to a +young friend who had expressed a wish to possess it; and Fanny had +assured her that she found no great amusement in it herself. + +Mrs Leslie, too, knew this, and was pleased to see the affectionate way +in which Fanny thanked her papa. Fanny, though she did not care for the +gift herself, was grateful to him for having brought it to her, and she +thought that it would, at all events, amuse Norman, who had never seen +anything of the sort. She therefore gladly jumped down to ring the bell +that the servant might bring a dish of water for the swan and fish to +swim in, and to be attracted by the magnet, which she found carefully +wrapped up at the bottom of the box. She looked forward with pleasure +to the surprise her brother would exhibit at seeing the fish and swan +come at her call. + +Norman, who was in the meantime fumbling away at the other parcel, eyed +her toy with a feeling very like that which had entered his heart when +she had her beautiful doll given to her. His parcel felt soft, he +feared that it was of very little value, and he wondered what it could +possibly be. At last the paper was torn off. + +"Why, it's only the skin of an old football without any wind in it!" he +exclaimed in a disappointed tone. + +"It is a new football, and we can soon put wind in it," observed his +papa, laughing at what he thought his son's wit; and taking it from +Norman, he put the part with the hole to his mouth and began to blow and +blow till gradually the ball swelled out to its full size. Norman +looked on wonderingly all the time. Then Captain Vallery fastened a +piece of string round the neck of the bladder into which he had been +blowing, and tightly laced up the leathern covering. + +"There my boy," he exclaimed, "you have a brand new football which you +may kick from John o' Groat's house to the Land's End without its being +much the worse for its journey, only you must not treat it as you did +the last." + +Norman ran after the ball, which his papa rolled to the other end of the +room. The pleasure he might have felt at obtaining it was taken away by +his hearing Captain Vallery tell the laird how he had cut open his other +ball to look for the wind in it, at which the laird laughed heartily, +declaring that he was a true philosopher and would some day become the +Principal of the University of Aberdeen or Saint Andrews. + +The servant coming in with the dish, Norman left his ball to see the +swan and fish come at Fanny's call to be fed. She managed very +cleverly, by holding a piece of bread over the magnet. Norman looked +on, wondering what could make the creatures come when Fanny called them, +and half believing that they must be alive. Then he thought how much he +should like to have them if they would come to him as readily as they +did to Fanny. + +"Let me try them, Fanny," he said eagerly; "I am sure if I call them +they will swim across the dish to me. Mamma give me a piece of bread." + +Norman held it to the side of the dish. Neither the swan nor the fish +moved; then he threw some crumbs towards them, but they had no greater +effect. He began to grow angry. + +"I do not see why they should come more to you than to me," he said +grumpily. + +Fanny then let him see that she held something in her hand. + +"What is that?" he asked. + +"That is my magic wand?" she answered laughing. "Perhaps if you take it +you will find that the creatures come towards you." + +Norman snatched it from her. The swan was at this time near him. What +was his astonishment on presenting the rod, to see the swan swim away +from him instead of coming near, and when he tried the fish they did the +same. + +"You see they are not so tame to you as they are to me?" said Fanny +laughing. + +Norman had presented the reverse end of the magnet, which, of course, +sent them away from him. Again he tried to attract the fish and swan. + +"Let me try again!" said Fanny, "if I look angrily at them they will go +away from me as they did from you." She also presented the reverse end +of the magnet, trying to frown, though she had some difficulty in +bringing her smiling countenance to do so. "Now I will look kindly at +them, and call them, and you will see that they will come to me;" and +she presented the right end of the magnet, when all the creatures came +up to the side of the dish near which she stood. + +She now gave it back to Norman, and though he did not look as amiable as +she did, he burst into a laugh when he saw the creatures coming towards +him. + +"I wish papa had brought me something like that," he said. "There is +some fun in it." + +"You shall play with it as much as you like, Norman," said Fanny. "As +it is papa's present I cannot give it you, but you can amuse yourself +with it as much as if it was yours." + +This promise for the moment put Norman into better humour, though he +still wished that he had the toy all to himself, while he left his +football neglected on the ground. + +The rest of the party went to get ready for their excursion, but he +could not leave Fanny's toy. When she came back dressed, she found him +at the side-table, where the servant had placed the dish. + +"I will give you my football for this, for I want it all to myself." + +"I am sorry to hear you say that," answered Fanny; "I told you that I +could not give away papa's present, and the football is not suited to a +little girl like me." + +"You are an ill-natured thing," exclaimed Norman, petulantly. "You will +never do what I want." + +Fanny smiled, though she felt inclined to be vexed at this false +accusation. + +"We must at all events put the things up now," she said, "for mamma has +sent me to tell you to come and get ready." + +"I will not get ready, I do not want to go to the picnic," said Norman. + +"But you must come," said Fanny taking hold of his arm, "mamma wishes +it." + +Norman resisted, and, intending to seize the table, caught the dish +instead, and pulled it to the ground, splashing himself over and +breaking the dish. + +"Oh what have you done?" cried Fanny. + +"It was all your fault," said Norman. "If you had let me alone it would +not have happened." + +Fanny did feel very angry with him. What she might have done, it is +difficult to say, had not Mrs Maclean entered the room. + +"I can understand how it happened, and whose fault it was," she +observed. "Do not mind the broken dish, dear Fanny, I will send for the +servant to take it away, and do you, young gentleman, go and get ready +to accompany your mamma." + +Norman, who on seeing Mrs Maclean enter, fully expected to be punished, +thought her kinder than he had supposed, and felt more inclined to like +her than before. He accompanied Fanny without saying a word, and made +no opposition when getting ready for the excursion. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +THE PICNIC. + +There were two small open carriages prepared for the expedition. The +laird drove Mrs Maclean and Mrs Leslie in one, and Captain Vallery +took charge of his wife and children in the other. + +After driving some way along the road, leaving the loch behind them they +mounted a hill, and to Fanny's surprise, she found that they were close +to Alec Morrison's cottage. The laird called him out. + +"We are going to Glen Corpach, and as I am not sure whether we shall +find any one to row the boat there, I wish you would come with us." + +Alec said he could not leave Robby. + +"Bring him, then," said the laird. "You get up by the side of me, and +Robby can go in the other carriage with the children." + +They stopped a few minutes while his grandfather helped Robby to put on +his best clothes. His toilet was quickly finished, and Alec lifted him +into the carriage with the children. + +Fanny was very glad to see him, but Norman looked at him askance, as if +he was an intruder, and was afraid besides that he would ask after the +little bird. Fanny also was afraid that he might do so, and she was +very unwilling to have to tell him that it was dead. She therefore +talked to him about as many things as she could think of. She asked him +how Lory was, and if he had ever been in a carriage before? Robby +answered that Lory was very well, and that he had once been in a +carrier's cart, but that it did not move as fast as they were going, and +seemed highly delighted with the drive. The question both the children +dreaded came at last. + +"Don't be teasing us by your questions, you stupid little fellow," said +Norman hastily, "I wonder you are not ashamed of your impudence." + +Poor little Robby looked much abashed at this rebuke. + +"I only asked after the young lady's bird," he said. + +"Hold your tongue, you little monkey," cried Norman, giving him a kick, +"that's just what I don't choose you should talk about." + +"Norman you should not treat Robby so," said Fanny becoming indignant. +"I am sorry to say, Robby, that the little birdie is dead. We did not +behave as kindly to it as you would have done." + +"Oh dear! oh dear! how did it die?" asked Robby. + +"Hold your tongue, I say," cried Norman giving him another kick, which +made Robby cry. + +This attracted the attention of Mrs Vallery who was seated in front +with her husband. + +"What is the matter, children?" she asked, looking round. + +"Nothing at all, mamma, only the stupid child chooses to cry," answered +Norman. "Keep quiet you tiresome little brat." + +"Oh, mamma, will you take Norman in front with you? He has hurt Robby," +said Fanny. + +"I won't go," answered Norman, "I like to stay where I am. You may take +the brat with you if you like, mamma." + +"There is scarcely room for any one," said Mrs Vallery. "And I must +beg you children to be quiet. Fanny, you can keep them from +quarrelling, I should hope." + +Poor Fanny would willingly have done so, for Norman was doing his best +to spoil the pleasure of her drive. She took Robby to sit beside her, +where Norman could not reach him without kicking her. He having vented +his anger, now remained quiet, only occasionally giving an angry look at +the poor little orphan. + +Soon having crossed the level heath, they entered a narrow glen between +the mountains, which rose up on either side of them, here and there +covered with wood; in other places the cliffs were almost perpendicular, +while a stream rushed foaming and sparkling over its rocky sides close +to the road. As they advanced, the scenery became more wild and +picturesque. Fanny admired it much, for she had never been in so +romantic a country. Now they went up the steep side of a hill, from the +top of which could be seen range beyond range of mountains, with deep +valleys, patches of forest, wild rocks, and a narrow sheet of water +which shone in the bright sunlight, while here and there could be +distinguished a thin silvery line descending from a mountain height, and +winding along at the bottom of a valley. + +"We are not far from Glen Corpach," shouted the laird, "and I see some +of our friends are making their way towards it." + +He pointed to some patches which Fanny thought looked like ants, with a +black beetle in front of them, winding down the mountain. + +Descending by a steep road, which compelled the laird and Captain +Vallery to put on their drags to prevent the carriages going down faster +than would have been pleasant, they found themselves by the side of a +narrow loch enclosed by mountains. They soon after, rounding a lofty +cliff, arrived at the entrance of the glen which they had come to visit. + +On the shore of the loch was a small cottage where they found the cart +with the servants and provisions. They descended from the carriages, +and were joined by several of the laird's friends, who had arrived +before them. Fanny was pleased to find, as had been promised, some +companions of her own age, and several boys rather older than her +brother. + +"I can get on very well with them," thought Norman, as he eyed them. +"They will be more fit companions than that stupid little Robby." + +The party proceeded up the glen by the margin of a narrow deep stream. +So close were the two sides of the glen that the branches of the trees +which grew on them appeared almost to join overhead, and formed a thick +shade. + +After proceeding some way, the glen again opened out, and they found +that they had reached the end of another loch, which extended as far as +the eye could reach, while their ears were saluted by the rushing and +roaring sound of a cataract which came from the heights above them, and +fell dashing and splashing over the rocks, now concealed by the thick +foliage now appearing full in view. + +Stopping to admire the romantic scene--the calm loch, the murmuring +stream, the roaring waterfall, the wild rocks with trees growing amidst +them, and the lofty hills rising in many varied shapes on every side, +still higher peaks towering to the sky, the party began to ascend a path +which led to the spot where the picnic was to be held. It was a green +knoll on the mountain side, close to which an off-shoot of the great +waterfall bubbled and sparkled by, while the trees which grew on one +side afforded a sufficient shade from the sun's rays. The number of +rocks which had fallen from the mountains above supplied seats of every +shape, to suit the taste of those who chose to occupy them. + +From the knoll a still better view than below, of the waterfall and the +surrounding scenery, was obtained, and everybody agreed that it was the +most perfect place for a picnic imaginable. Fanny and her young friends +were delighted, and while the servants brought up the hampers, and some +of the party were spreading the cloth, they employed themselves in +conveying jugs of water from the bright stream which flowed by. + +As many of the party had come from a considerable distance, it was +settled that dinner should be the first thing attended to, though some +of the young ladies directly after their arrival had got out their +sketch-books, and would have preferred finishing their sketches first. +Fanny, who had observed the rapid way in which they conveyed the scenery +to their paper, wished that she could sketch also. Her granny promised +that she should have lessons as soon as she returned home. + +"Oh, how much I shall like it, and I think I shall remember this scene +so well that I shall be able to put it down on paper as soon as I have +learned to draw," she exclaimed. + +One of the young ladies lent her a book. To her surprise, by following +the guidance of her instructress, she found that she could already make +a sketch which would remind her of the scene. + +The picnic dinner was exactly as Fanny had expected it to be. There was +the facetious old gentleman--a neighbouring laird noted for his jokes,-- +and he did not fail to keep the company in fits of laughter, and there +were young ladies and young gentlemen and middle-aged gentlemen, who +told stories and sang songs. + +The laird of Glen Tulloch had in the meantime despatched Alec Morrison +to bring down a boat which was kept further up the loch, that those of +the party who wished it might enjoy a row. + +Norman and his young friends after eating as many of the good things as +they wanted, not caring for the jokes or the conversation, strolled away +to enjoy a scramble among the rocks. They were not observed, or they +would have been warned of the danger they were running. + +Little Robby had been waiting patiently to obtain his share of the feast +with the servants. When he saw them go, he followed, for he had been +told by his grandfather to take care and not get among the slippery +rocks. Young as he was, it occurred to him that if it would be +dangerous for him, it would be equally so for the young gentlemen. + +"What are you coming after us for, you little brat?" exclaimed Norman, +as turning round he caught sight of Robby. "Go back and stay with the +servants." + +"Please, grandfather said any one going climbing among those rocks, +would run the chance of slipping and being carried into the loch," +answered Robby, not feeling angry at the rude way Norman had spoken to +him. + +"What is it to me what your grandfather says?" answered Norman, who +wished to show his independence before his older companions. "Don't you +be coming after us, we don't want your company." + +"We had better take care where we go, though," observed one of the boys, +who was wiser than the rest. + +"It would be an ugly thing to tumble into that boiling stream, and be +carried off to the loch." + +"Oh, nonsense," exclaimed Norman, "I am not afraid, I am going to shoot +tigers when I go back to India. I shall have to go into wild places to +get at them. I have a fancy for climbing up those rocks to see how high +I can get. Who will follow?" + +"Oh, do not go, do not go, young gentleman," cried Robby, who saw the +danger they were running. "You may slip and break your legs, or be +drowned if you fall into the water." + +The boys disregarded his warnings, and Norman eager to show his bravery +began to climb the rocks. They made one ascent, and perhaps influenced +by Robby's warning, took sufficient care to escape an accident, and all +descended again in safety very nearly to the edge of the loch. + +"He did not do any great thing after all," observed one of the boys. "I +thought, Vallery, you were going up to the top." + +"So I will, if you will follow me," answered Norman. + +"You will be frightened, before you are half way up," cried another. + +"You dare not do it," said a third. + +"Big as you all are, I will dare anything you can do," exclaimed Norman +proudly, and he began to reascend the rocks. + +"Oh, pray do not," cried Robby, who notwithstanding the order he had +received to be off, still kept near. "You will be tumbling down, I know +you will." + +The other boys followed Norman, most of them keeping in a safer +direction away from the waterfall. + +Robby was running off to call some of the servants, who might he thought +stop the young gentlemen better than he could, when at that instant he +saw his grandfather pulling down the loch and close to the mouth of the +stream formed by the waterfall. Just as he was beckoning to him to make +haste that he might land and stop the boys, he heard a cry, and saw +Norman slipping down the side of a smooth rock wet with the spray of the +waterfall. In vain he shouted to him to hold on to any thing he could +grasp. Norman shrieked out with terror, but the sound of the cascade +prevented any one but his boyish companions from hearing his words. +Horror-struck, they could do nothing to help him. Robby ran up along +the stream, but was stopped by the roughness of the ground. + +Norman though clinging to a few tufts of grass or small shrubs was +unable to regain a footing. He slipped down lower and lower, till he +fell with a plunge into the stream. The water was sufficiently deep to +prevent him from being hurt by the fall, but the current was strong, and +though his head was above the surface, he was unable to resist it, and +carried off his legs was borne down the stream. + +Robby had a handkerchief tied in a sailor's knot round his neck, and as +Norman passed close to the bank, he threw the end to him. Norman +grasped it, and held on tightly while Robby kept a firm hold of the +other end. But Robby was small, and the stream bore Norman onward. As +long as he could, Robby scrambled along the bank, thus keeping Norman +above water. + +The other boys hurried down the rocks to assist him, but just before the +foremost got up to where he was, Robby lost his balance, and falling +into the water he and Norman were carried down the stream together. + +Old Alec had seen the boys and heard their cries, and guessing that +something was wrong, happily at that moment shoved his boat up the mouth +of the stream as far as she could go. To throw his grapnel to the shore +and to spring overboard was the work of an instant, directly he saw the +two young boys floating down towards him. He had them safe in his arms +before either of them had lost consciousness, and placing them in the +boat he rowed as fast, as he could to the landing-place below the spot +where the picnic party were still seated. They, alarmed by the cries of +the other boys, one of whom shouted out in his terror that little +Vallery was being drowned, started to their feet. + +Alec's loud voice which reached them, as he hailed in sailor fashion, +"They are here all safe," somewhat reassured them. + +Captain Vallery and Mrs Maclean, were the first to get to the boat. +They were followed by Fanny and her mamma. + +Norman was quickly lifted out of the boat by his papa, who was not till +then satisfied that he was really alive. He was at once carried up to +the knoll, where a fire had just been lighted. The laird came up +directly afterwards with little Robby in his arms, having gleaned from +Alec and the other boys exactly what had happened. + +"I find, Vallery, that your son owes his life to this little fellow, for +had it not been for his judgment and courage, he would have been carried +into the loch, before Alec Morrison could have come up to save him," he +exclaimed. Captain and Mrs Vallery expressed their gratitude, and as +may be supposed, everybody praised little Robby's bravery. + +Meantime the boys' wet clothes were stripped off, and they were wrapped +up in warm shawls supplied by the ladies. Fanny knelt by her brother's +side, almost overcome with her agitation; indeed he was evidently +suffering as much from alarm, perhaps, as from the sudden plunge into +the cold water. + +As none of the Glen Tulloch party could longer enjoy the picnic, a +servant was sent on to get their carriages ready, while Captain Vallery +carrying Norman, and old Alec his little grandson, they proceeded down +the glen that they might get home as soon as possible. The other boys, +as may be supposed, wisely amused themselves on safe ground, and it is +to be hoped they were properly thankful that they had been preserved +from an accident by which their young friend had so nearly lost his +life. + +Mrs Vallery took her seat in the hinder part of the carriage, and kept +Norman in her arms, anxiously watching his face, now flushed, now pale, +while the two elder ladies insisted on taking care of little Robby. He, +however, appeared to be not all the worse for his wetting. He could not +help now and then expressing his thankfulness that the young gentleman +had caught hold of his handkerchief in time to avoid being carried into +the loch before his grandfather had reached him. He said nothing about +himself, nor did he seem to think that he was deserving of any praise. + +The laird and Captain Vallery drove towards home as fast as they could, +but their anxiety to arrive at the end of their journey made the road +appear much longer than it had on coming. + +Mrs Maclean wished to carry Robby on with her. To this, however, Alec +would not agree. + +"No, Mrs Maclean," he answered, "he will do very well with me. I could +not rest without him under my roof, and a sailor's son will be none the +worse for a ducking." Robby was then lifted out of the carriage, and by +his own request placed on the ground. + +"Please, Mrs Maclean, may I come over to-morrow to ask how the young +gentleman is?" he said looking up. "I will ask God, when I say my +prayers to-night, that he may be made well." + +"If your grandfather can spare you, we shall be glad to see you," said +Mrs Maclean. + +"I must thank you for the interest you feel in my little grandson," said +Mrs Leslie. + +Robby seemed much pleased. As long as the carriages were in sight he +stood watching them, and then ran after his grandfather into the +cottage. + +As soon as the party reached Glen Tulloch, Norman was carried up to bed. +It was evident that he was very ill, he had been heated by scrambling +about the rocks, and the cold water had given him a sudden chill. +Before the next morning he was in a high fever. A doctor was sent for, +but some hours elapsed before he arrived. He looked very grave and said +that the little boy required the greatest care and watching. + +Mrs Leslie and her mamma insisted that Fanny should go to bed, and as +she was always obedient, she did as they wished, but she could not go to +sleep. All night long she thought of her little brother, and of the +danger he was in, and oh! how earnestly she prayed that he might +recover. + +Either his granny or mamma sat by his bedside throughout the night. He +tumbled and tossed, his limbs and his head aching again and again, he +saw little birds flitting backwards and forwards in the room. + +"Ah! ah! naughty boy, I am Pecksy's brother, you killed him; you know +you did!" said one nodding its head, as it perched on the back of a +chair, at the end of his bed. Then it flew away, and another came and +said, "I am Pecksy's sister, naughty boy, you killed him, you know you +did!" and it too nodded its head. + +A third and a fourth and a fifth came and chirped in plaintive tones, +"Oh, why did you kill our dear little friend? you say you did not kill +him; you know you did, you naughty boy!" and so they went on flying +backwards and forwards, now concealed in the dark part of the room, and +now appearing in the light of the lamp. + +In vain Norman tried to raise his voice--he could not even whisper--all +he could do was to watch them with his aching eyes as they flitted to +and fro. Oh! how he longed to get rid of them. Would they never go +away? No; back they came, and twittered in the same mournful strain. +"You killed our brother, you killed our friend; you know you did, +naughty, naughty boy!" + +At length he could bear it no longer, and with a scream he exclaimed, +"Oh, put them out of the room--catch them! catch them! take them away! +I will be a good boy, indeed I will. I will never do such a thing +again." + +Though he did not speak very distinctly, his mamma understood his words. + +"Take what away, dear? There is nothing in the room--there is nothing +to hurt you." + +"The birds! the birds! Oh yes, oh yes, the birds, the birds, I see them +again," cried Norman, with his eyes wide open, staring into the air. + +In vain Mrs Vallery tried to soothe him. He still cried out, "Take the +birds away!" He did not even know her. + +"Naughty woman, do as I tell you! Don't let the birds come and tease +me," he cried out. + +Strange as it may seem, he did not once speak of his fall from the rock +into the water, or of the danger he had run on that occasion. + +Thus the night passed on. + +As soon as it was morning, Fanny hurried to her little brother's room. +Her grief and pain were very great when she heard him crying out, "Take +the birds away, oh, don't let them tease me!" + +She sat down on a stool by his bedside. + +Her papa soon came, and he and her mamma hung over Norman, anxiously +watching him, but though he opened his eyes wide, he did not recognise +them. + +"Go away, go away, I do not want you," he murmured. + +Even when his mamma took his hand and affectionately bent down over him, +he gazed at her as if she was a stranger. + +Fanny could scarcely restrain her grief to see him thus. + +The doctor came back as early as he could, after visiting a patient some +miles off. Fanny anxiously waited to hear his report. + +"The little fellow may do well, but the fever is not yet at its height, +and we shall be able to judge better to-morrow," he said. + +"Oh, how dreadful it will be to have to wait all that time," thought +Fanny. + +She was sent out of the room several times by her mamma, as she could do +nothing, and as often stole back again, only feeling at rest when seated +by her young brother's bedside. + +At last Norman appeared to drop off to sleep, and her granny, who had +taken her mamma's place, whispered that she must go out and enjoy some +fresh air. + +Just as she descended the steps, she saw old Alec and little Robby +coming towards the house. Robby darted forward to meet her. + +"O Mistress Fanny, how is the young gentleman?" he asked in an eager +tone. + +"My brother is very, very ill," answered Fanny, unable to restrain her +tears. + +Robby looked very sad, but his countenance brightened up in a little +time as he said-- + +"Don't cry, young lady, grandfather and I have been praying that God +will take care of Master Norman, and make him well--I am sure He will-- +so don't cry, don't cry." + +Fanny dried her tears, for she had the same hope in her heart, +remembering that she, too, had been praying, and she knew that God hears +children's prayers as well as those of grown people. + +She thanked Robby and old Alec very much for coming to inquire for her +brother, and asked them to come into the house as she was sure her papa +and the laird and Mrs Maclean would like to see them. Her mamma was +lying down to rest, and her granny was with Norman she knew, or they +would like to see them too. Old Alec, however, declined, saying that he +only came to ask after the young master, and that he must be back to +attend to his cattle and sheep. + +He was going away, when the laird caught sight of him, and insisted on +his coming in with Robby. Mrs Maclean loaded Robby with all sorts of +things, and Captain Vallery wished to show his gratitude in some +substantial way to old Alec and his little grandson, for saving Norman's +life. + +Alec persisted that neither he nor the child wished for any reward for +doing what was simply their duty. + +"That is no reason why I should not show my gratitude, and I will +consult with the laird how I can best do so," answered the captain. + +For many days Norman remained very ill, and every day old Alec and the +little boy came to inquire for him. + +"Robby will not rest till he has heard how the young master is going +on," said his grandfather, "and though I tell him he cannot help him to +get well, still he says he must come to ask how he is doing." + +Fanny spent every moment that she was allowed to do so in her brother's +room. + +At length the doctor said that the complaint had taken a favourable +turn, and that Norman would soon get well. He looked, however, very +pale and thin, and very unlike the strong ruddy boy he had before +appeared. Fanny was now allowed to be frequently with him. Their poor +mamma, from her constant watching by his bedside, was herself made ill, +and even granny required rest and fresh air. + +What an active attentive little nurse did Fanny make, and how pleasantly +and gently she talked to Norman, telling him all sorts of things which +she could think of, to interest him. She daily brought him his meals; +he said that he would rather take them from her than from any one else, +as the tea and broth and pudding always tasted nicer when she gave them +to him. + +She had not liked to talk of Robby and Alec for fear of reminding him of +Pecksy. One day when she brought him a cup of broth, and he was sitting +propped up with pillows, he threw his arms round her neck. + +"You dear, kind sister," he said, "how good you are to me, and I have +never been good to you; I don't think anybody else would be as kind to +me if I had treated them as I have you." + +"Oh, but you know I love you, Norman, and though you have been angry +sometimes, that should not make me cease to love you. But here, take +the broth, and then I will tell you that not only I, but others care for +you, and have prayed that you might be made well, whom you have treated +rudely and ill." + +Norman took the broth and then he asked-- + +"Who are they who care for me besides mamma and perhaps granny?" + +"Of course, granny cares for you very much indeed," said Fanny, who did +not like her brother to say that. "And so do others;" and then she told +him how day after day old Alec and Robby had come to the house to +inquire for him, how grieved Robby had been when he heard that he was +ill, and how thankful when he was told that he was recovering. + +"That little boy!" exclaimed Norman; "why, I always abused him and +scolded him, and now I remember I kicked him in the carriage, and called +him names when he ran after me. It was he who threw the end of his +handkerchief to me, when I fell into the water. Oh yes! and I pulled +him in too, when he was trying to help me, and he might have been +drowned. He can only hate me, I should think." + +"Far from hating you, he has forgotten entirely how ill you treated him, +and has been as anxious as any one about you," said Fanny. + +"Oh, I have been a very naughty boy, I will try to be so no more. I +know I said that before, but now I will really try to do what I am told, +and be kind and gentle to everybody, as granny said I ought to be, and I +will pray to God to help me to be so. I before thought that I was going +to be good, but I did not pray, I wanted to be good all by myself, and I +know that I was very soon as bad as ever." + +How thankful Fanny felt when she heard Norman say this; again and again +she kissed him, and with joy afterwards told her granny and her mamma +what he had said. + +From this time Norman rapidly got better, and was soon able to be +dressed and go downstairs. Fanny was delighted to draw him about the +grounds in the little cart, and in two or three days the doctor thought +that he might take a drive in the pony carriage. + +"Oh then, let me go and see Robby," he exclaimed. "I want so much to +thank him for saving me from being drowned, and for coming to ask about +me." + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +RIGHT AT LAST. + +The first fine day after Norman was allowed to go out, the laird kindly +undertook to drive him and Fanny and their mamma and granny over to old +Alec's cottage. Robby was much delighted to see the young gentleman. +Norman, instead of treating him in the haughty way he had before, +allowed himself to be led about by the little fellow, who wanted to show +him his pet lamb and birds, and a little arbour, with a seat in it, +which his grandfather had made for him. + +"Robby," said Norman, taking his hand, "I know I was very naughty, and +that I treated you very ill, but if you will forgive me and let me be +your friend, I shall be very thankful. I do indeed feel ashamed of +myself." + +Fanny, who overheard this was more than ever satisfied that her +brother's heart was really changed. + +Robby thanked Norman, and again told him how glad he was that he had got +well, and that he would like to be his friend, and help him, and fight +for him if needs be, more than anything else. + +The children spent a very happy morning, and the drive did Norman much +good. + +Captain and Mrs Vallery were most anxious to show their gratitude to +old Alec and his grandson. Mrs Vallery among other things they +proposed doing, sent to the nearest town for some clothes suitable for +little Robby. Mrs Maclean drove over with them, that she might tell +her guests how their present was received. Robby opened the parcel +himself and could scarcely believe that its contents were for him. He +had never before, indeed, been so comfortably dressed. He was unable to +find words to express his pleasure, but he did his best to say how +grateful he felt for the unexpected gifts. Mrs Maclean undertook to +see that he was in future well supplied with warm clothing. The laird +likewise engaged a big lad to assist Alec in looking after his cattle +and sheep, that Robby might be sent to school; and Captain Vallery +purchased several animals, which he presented to the old man, observing +that as now he had a servant he would be able to tend a larger number +than formerly. Mrs Leslie also made him and his grandson several +useful presents. Still Norman acknowledged that for his part, he owed +them more than he could ever repay. + +At length the time came when Mrs Leslie and her daughter and +son-in-law, with their children had to return South. The last visit to +old Alec and his grandson was paid. They bade farewell to the kind +laird and Mrs Maclean. + +The carriage drove to the door, and the journey was begun. Among the +luggage was a mysterious package--what it contained Fanny was not +allowed to know, and if she was curious about it, she so far restrained +her curiosity as not to ask questions. Norman, however, seemed to be +acquainted with its contents, and lifting up the thick covering placed +over it, he was seen to pour in water and seeds from a little parcel of +which his papa had charge. + +The railway was soon reached, and while at the station, Norman kept +strict watch over the mysterious package. + +The party spent only one day in Edinburgh when the package was carried +at once into Captain Vallery's room. + +During the journey from Edinburgh to London, it was placed under charge +of the guard, who promised faithfully that no harm should befall it. + +How happy Fanny felt, when at length they reached their dear old home +with granny quite well, in spite of the fatigue she had undergone, and +Norman not only recovered, but evidently so very different to what he +had been before. One of his first acts was to run up to Susan to tell +her that he hoped she would find him a good boy. Trusty, who came out +barking with delight, sprang up to lick the hand of everybody else, but +carefully avoided Norman. Norman, however, called to him in a gentle +voice, and when he came up patted his head and stroked his back, and +Trusty wagged his tail as much as to say, "I am glad you are not afraid +of me, and I hope we shall be good friends in future." Such they +became, and many a romp had Trusty with the young gentleman. + +Fanny on going to her room, found Nancy in her doll's house ready to +welcome her, and turning round what should she see but Miss Lucy, +looking bright and fresh, with a low frock such as she wore when she +first arrived. There were no marks on her neck, no disfiguring blotches +on her face. If she was not the original Miss Lucy, she was so exactly +like her that she must be, Fanny thought, her twin sister. + +"Oh how very kind," exclaimed Fanny, "I need have no fear now of leaving +Miss Lucy by herself either in the drawing-room or elsewhere." + +After talking to her for some time, and introducing her to Nancy she ran +downstairs, eager to thank her papa and mamma and granny, or whoever had +obtained a new Miss Lucy for her. + +No one was in the drawing-room, but a minute afterwards Norman came in, +carrying in his hand a gaily-painted bird-cage, with a beautiful little +bird inside. The bird-cage was exactly the size of the mysterious +package. + +"There, dear Fanny," he said, "we have brought it all the way from Glen +Tulloch. I bought it with some money which papa gave me to do what I +liked with. But I was afraid it might die on the journey, so I did not +like to offer it you till arrived safely here. Will you take it, dear +Fanny, and call it Pecksy? I hope it will be a happier little Pecksy +than the last." + +For a moment Norman hung down his head, and then he looked up with a +beaming smile as Fanny kissed him, and thanked him again and again for +his gift. + +Norman then begged Fanny to come up to her room, and he there pointed +out a hook which had been placed in the wall on which she might hang her +bird-cage and reach it without difficulty, though too far off the ground +for Trusty to frighten it, or for Kitty, the cat, even by exerting her +utmost agility to reach it. + +Fanny thought herself the happiest little girl in existence. + +She showed Norman the new Miss Lucy, whose appearance astonished him +even more than it had Fanny. + +Norman spent some happy weeks at home, and Mrs Norton expressed herself +much pleased at the progress he made. The time then came for him to go +to school, and after he had been there for some time, the master wrote +word that he was among the most attentive and obedient of his pupils, +and that he had not a word of complaint to make of him. All his friends +felt very happy on receiving this information, and Fanny looked forward +with delight for his return home for the holidays. + +He maintained his character, and though it cannot be said he has no +faults, he undoubtedly does his best to overcome them, and I shall be +very glad if all the young readers of this tale, will endeavour to do +the same--trusting to the same help which he sought and obtained. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Norman Vallery, by W.H.G. 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