e did them, at the same moment, the greatest possible damage, by
sitting down in the basket, unintentionally, with an awful crash.

From the gaze of horror that he cast upwards, it was evident that he was
impressed with a strong belief that he had done something wrong, though
the result did not seem to him unpleasant. The gaze of horror quickly
changed into one of alarm when he observed the shocked countenance of
Sally, and he burst into uncontrollable tears.

"Poor thing," said Brown, lifting him out of the mess and setting him on
his legs. "Never mind, old man, I'll fetch you a better basketful soon.
You clean him up, Sall, and I'll be back in a jiffy."

So saying, Brown took up his basket, emptied out the mess, wiped it with
a bunch of grass, and descended the short slope to the cliff edge,
laughing as he went.

Poor Sally's shocked expression had not yet passed off when Charlie came
to a sudden stop, shut his mouth tightly and opened his eyes, as though
to say, "Well, how do you take it now?"

"Oh, Challie, but you _is_ bad to-day."

This was enough. The shades of darkest night settled down on Charlie's
miserable soul. Re-shutting his eyes and reopening his mouth, he poured
forth the woe of his inconsolable heart in prolonged and passionate
howling.

"No, no; O _don't_!" cried the repentant Sally, her arms round his neck
and fondling him. "I didn't mean it. I'm _so_ sorry. It's me that's
bad--badder than you ever was."

But Charlie refused to be comforted. He flung himself on the grass in
agony of spirit, to the alarm and grief of his poor nurse.

"Me's dood?" he cried, pausing suddenly, with a blaze of inquiry in his
wet visage.

"Yes, yes, good as gold--gooder, far gooder!"

Sally did not possess an enlightened conscience at that time. She would
have said anything to quiet him, but he would not be quieted.

"Me's dood--O _dood_! ah-o-ee-aw-ee!"

The noise was bad enough, but the way he flung himself about was worse.
There was no occasion for Sally to clean him up. Rolling thus on the
green turf made him as pure, if not bright, as a new pin; but it had
another effect, which gave Sally a fright such as she had never up to
that time conceived of, and never afterwards forgot.

In his rollings Charlie came to the edge of the knoll where a thick but
soft bush concealed a ledge, or drop, of about two feet. Through this
bush he passed in a moment. Sally leaped up and sprang to the spot,
just i