hem off."

"Let me drive," cried Lizzie.

Sam looked up for Chester's approval, and abandoned the reins to the
young lady. The horse moved on towards the barn, good-naturedly, as if
he was used to such nonsense.

Chester could not help laughing to see Willie hug Georgie with all his
might; his brown cheeks pressed close against his brother's jacket, and
his little bare feet sticking out almost straight on each side, his legs
being very short, and the animal's back very broad.

While the young man stood there laughing, some one clasped him from
behind, and kissed his cheek.

"Sarah! my dearest sister!" cried Chester, folding her in his arms; "I
am glad to see you! How beautiful you grow!"

"You can well afford to say that," replied Sarah, gazing with
undisguised admiration at his handsome face, and curling black whiskers.
"O! I should hardly have known you!"

Chester laughed, well pleased with the praise implied, and, clasping her
waist, was dancing with her towards the house, when the screams of
little Willie attracted their attention.

Looking round, they saw the boy Sam, who had a rare genius for
mischief, tickling the bottom of Willie's foot with a twig. The latter
could not help himself; kicking was impracticable, considering his
position, and to disengage a hand from George's waist would have
endangered his neck by a fall. The little fellow was completely at the
mercy of Sam, who walked by the horse, plying the twig, and laughing
with infinite good-nature.

"Sam! you rascal!" cried Chester; "let that boy alone."

"I'm only keeping the flies off his foot," replied Sam, candidly.

"Well, if you don't take care, I'll keep the flies off your back with a
larger stick than that! Why do you want to spoil the little shaver's
ride in that way?"

By this time, Willie, feeling deeply injured, began to bellow, and Lizzie
was obliged to drive twice around the big wood-pile, in the center of the
yard, to pacify him.

Mrs. Royden met Chester in the doorway, and kissed him affectionately.
She proposed half a dozen leading questions with regard to his conduct,
his health and his designs, almost in a breath; all of which he answered
equivocally, or postponed altogether.

"Where is Hepsy?" he asked, throwing himself on a chair, and wiping the
sweat from his fine forehead with a perfumed handkerchief.

"She'll come soon enough," replied his mother, in a disagreeable tone.
"Have _you_ got to using _perfumes_, Chester