ny pretty things she had collected for her dear brother.

"It was about four weeks after these two last letters had been
received, when one morning Mr. Evans came in a great hurry, and with a
face of much trouble, into the school-room, and called out Stephen.
Stephen came back five minutes afterwards, and told the boys that his
uncle had been called suddenly away, and they had leave to play.

"'Good news--good news!' cried Griffith, and away ran the four pupils,
with Stephen after them; whilst Bernard went into the house to see what
he could get.

"As he came into the hall he saw that the parlour door was open, and he
heard people talking within. Miss Grizzy was in the parlour, and she
was talking to a neighbour who had dropped in. The coming of that
neighbour, Bernard thought, had something to do with the holiday so
suddenly given, and by listening he thought he might find something out
about this holiday.

"The words Bernard heard were these:

"'I know, Mrs. Smith, better than most, that the family had nothing to
depend upon but the living. To be sure, the living is very good, and
much might be saved out of it for the children, but if what we hear is
true they will come but poorly off, I fear.'

"'You forget, Miss Evans,' answered Mrs. Smith, 'that if what we hear
be true--and I fear it is--there is only one left to provide for.'

"As Bernard drew closer to the door to hear more, he knocked his foot
against it, and Miss Grizzy called out:

"'Who is there?'

"Bernard walked into the parlour at the call, in his usual manner, and
without taking any notice of Mrs. Smith, he said:

"'I want some bread and butter.'

"'What, already?' cried Miss Grizzy tartly; 'don't you see that I am
talking business with my neighbour, Master Low? Come, you had best go
to play, and mind to shut the door after you.'

"Bernard looked at her with a look which seemed to say, 'What's the
matter now?' and walked away, leaving the door as wide open as he could
push it.

"He walked into the garden, but old Jacob was not there, and then he
went to the back of the house to look for the other boys. He had heard
their voices at a distance, when he got there, and saw them in the very
field where he had sat with Lucilla. Their voices came straight over
the valley; but it was a long way to go, down first and up again, to
them. However, he set out to go, and in his way had to pass by the door
of a cottage near the brook. In this cottage liv