accompanied us cheerily round the establishment,--suffered

himself to be introduced to each of the cows, held out the right
hand of fellowship to the pig, and even hinted that a pair of

pink-eyed Himalayan rabbits might arrive--unexpectedly--from town
some day. We were just considering whether in this fertile soil

an apparentlyaccidental remark on the solid qualities of guinea-
pigs or ferrets might haply blossom and bring forth fruit, when

our governess appeared on the scene. Uncle George's manner at
once underwent a complete and contemptible change. His interest

in rational topics seemed, "like a fountain's sickening pulse,"
to flag and ebb away; and though Miss Smedley's ostensible

purpose was to take Selina for her usual walk, I can vouch for it
that Selina spent her morning ratting, along with the keeper's

boy and me; while, if Miss Smedley walked with any one, it would
appear to have been with Uncle George.

But despicable as his conduct had been, he underwent no hasty
condemnation. The defection was discussed in all its bearings,

but it seemed sadly clear at last that this uncle must possess
some innate badness of character and fondness for low company.

We who from daily experience knew Miss Smedley like a book--were
we not only too well aware that she had neither accomplishments

nor charms, no characteristic, in fact, but an inbred viciousness
of temper and disposition? True, she knew the dates of the

English kings by heart; but how could that profit Uncle George,
who, having passed into the army, had ascended beyond the need of

useful information? Our bows and arrows, on the other hand, had
been freely placed at his disposal; and a soldier should not have

hesitated in his choice a moment. No: Uncle George had fallen
from grace, and was unanimously" target="_blank" title="ad.一致同意的">unanimouslydamned. And the non-arrival of

the Himalayan rabbits was only another nail in his coffin.
Uncles, therefore, were just then a heavy and lifeless market,

and there was little inclination to deal. Still it was agreed
that Uncle William, who had just returned from India, should have

as fair a trial as the others; more especially as romantic
possibilities might well be embodied in one who had held the

gorgeous East in fee.
Selina had kicked my shins--like the girl she is!--during a

scuffle in the passage, and I was still rubbing them with one
hand when I found that the uncle-on-approbation was half-

heartedly shaking the other. A florid, elderly man, and
unmistakably nervous, he dropped our grimy paws in succession,

and, turning very red, with an awkward simulation of heartiness,
"Well, h' are y' all?" he said, "Glad to see me, eh?" As we

could hardly, in justice, be expected to have formed an opinion
on him at that early stage, we could but look at each other in

silence; which scarce served to relieve the tension of the
situation. Indeed, the cloud never really lifted during his

stay. In talking it over later, some one put forward the
suggestion that he must at some time or other have committed a

stupendous crime; but I could not bring myself to believe that
the man, though evidentlyunhappy, was really guilty of anything;

and I caught him once or twice looking at us with evident
kindliness, though seeing himself observed, he blushed and turned

away his head.
When at last the atmosphere was clear of this depressing

influence, we met despondently in the potato-cellar--all of us,
that is, but Harold, who had been told off to accompany his

relative to the station; and the feeling was unanimous, that, at
an uncle, William could not be allowed to pass. Selina roundly

declared him a beast, pointing out that he had not even got us a
half-holiday; and, indeed, there seemed little to do but to pass

sentence. We were about to put it, when Harold appeared on the
scene; his red face, round eyes, and mysterious demeanour,

hinting at awful portents. Speechless he stood a space: then,
slowly drawing his hand from the pocket of his knickerbockers, he

displayed on a dirty palm one--two--three--four half-crowns! We
could but gaze--tranced, breathless, mute; never had any of us

seen, in the aggregate, so much bullion before. Then Harold told
his tale.

"I took the old fellow to the station," he said, "and as we went
along I told him all about the station-master's family, and how I

had seen the porter kissing our housemaid, and what a nice fellow
he was, with no airs, or affectation about him, and anything I

thought would be of interest.; but he didn't seem to pay much
attention, but walked along puffing his cigar, and once I

thought--I'm not certain, but I THOUGHT--I heard him say,
`Well, thank God, that's over!' When we got to the station he

stopped suddenly, and said, `Hold on a minute!' Then he shoved
these into my hand in a frightened sort of way; and said, `Look

here, youngster! These are for you and the other kids. Buy what
you like--make little beasts of yourselves--only don't tell the

old people, mind! Now cut away home!' So I cut."
A solemn hush fell on the assembly, broken first by the small

Charlotte. "I didn't know," she observed dreamily, "that there
were such good men anywhere in the world. I hope he'll die to-

night, for then he'll go straight to heaven!" But the repentant
Selina bewailed herself with tears and sobs, refusing to be

comforted; for that in her haste she had called this white-souled
relative a beast.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Edward, the master-mind,
rising--as he always did--to the situation: "We'll christen the

piebald pig after him--the one that hasn't got a name yet.
And that'll show we're sorry for our mistake!"

"I--I christened that pig this morning," Harold guiltily
confessed; "I christened it after the curate. I'm very sorry--

but he came and bow'ed to me last night, after you others had all
been sent to bed early--and somehow I felt I HAD to do it!"

"Oh, but that doesn't count," said Edward hastily; "because we
weren't all there. We'll take that christening off, and call it

Uncle William. And you can save up the curate for the next
litter!"

And the motion being agreed to without a division, the House went
into Committee of Supply.

ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS
"Let's pretend," suggested Harold, "that we're Cavaliers and

Roundheads; and YOU be a Roundhead!"
"O bother," I replied drowsily, "we pretended that yesterday; and

it's not my turn to be a Roundhead, anyhow." The fact is, I was
lazy, and the call to arms fell on indifferent ears. We three

younger ones were stretched at length in the orchard. The sun
was hot, the season merry June, and never (I thought) had there

been such wealth and riot of buttercups throughout the lush
grass. Green-and-gold was the dominant key that day. Instead of

active "pretence" with its shouts and perspiration, how much
better--I held--to lie at ease and pretend to one's self, in

green and golden fancies, slipping the husk and passing, a
careless lounger, through a sleepyimaginary world all gold and

green! But the persistent Harold was not to be fobbed of.
"Well, then," he began afresh, "let's pretend we're Knights of

the Round Table; and (with a rush) _I'll_ be Lancelot!"
"I won't play unless I'm Lancelot," I said. I didn't mean it

really, but the game of Knights always began with this particular
contest.

"O PLEASE," implored Harold. "You know when Edward's here I
never get a chance of being Lancelot. I haven't been Lancelot

for weeks!"
Then I yielded gracefully. "All right," I said. "I'll be

Tristram."
"O, but you can't," cried Harold again.

"Charlotte has always been Tristram. She won't play unless she's
allowed to be Tristram! Be somebody else this time."