ia, before she felt the full absurdity of the feelings
which had occupied her so lately, and was angry with herself to her own
satisfaction. Her companions looked at each other with a smile as they
observed at the same moment the downcast attitude of her moistened eyes,
the beautiful blush on her cheek, and the expression of meek emotion on
her lips. They thought that it was the image of heavenly beauty which
moved her thus.

Before they had quite finished the Hymn, the door was burst open, and
the children entered, dragging in Mr Enderby. Mr Enderby rebuked
them, good-naturedly, for introducing him with so little ceremony, and
declared to the ladies that Matilda had promised to knock before she
opened the door. Hester advised Mary and Fanny to be more quiet in
their mode of entrance, observing that they had made Miss Young start
with their hurry.

Matilda was glad her uncle remembered to come sometimes. He had
promised it several weeks before he came at all; even when he said he
was going away in a fortnight.

"And if I had gone away in a fortnight," said he, "I should not have
seen your schoolroom. But this is not the first time I have seen it, as
you remember very well. I have been here often lately."

"But you never attend to me here, uncle! And I want so to show you my
desk, where I keep my copy-book, and the work-box you gave me on my
birthday."

"Well, you can show me now, cannot you? So, this is your desk! It
seems convenient enough, whatever we may think of its beauty. I suppose
it will hold all the knowledge you will want to have put into your head
for some time to come. Now show me which is George's desk, and which
Fanny's; and now Mary's,--a nice row of desks! Now," whispering to her,
"can you show me which is Miss Margaret's desk?"

The little girl giggled as she answered, that Miss Margaret was too old
to be a school-girl.

"So she is: but she learns of Miss Young, and I know she keeps some of
her books here. Can you show me where?"

There was a desk rather larger than the rest, the lid of which now
happened to be standing open. Matilda slyly pointed to it. While the
ladies were engaged with the other children, Mr Enderby cast a glance
into this desk, saw a book which he knew to be Margaret's, laid
something upon it from his pocket, and softly closed the lid; the whole
passing, if it was observed at all, as a survey of the children's desks.
He then pretended to look round for the