elight, till the fire-works neither burst, cracked, nor exploded
any more.

A ballad-singer next attracted their notice, singing the tune of "Meet
me by moonlight," and afterwards Laura shewed Harry the constellation of
Orion mentioned in the Bible, which, besides the Great Bear, was the
only one she had the slightest acquaintance with. Neither of them had
ever observed the Northern Lights so brilliant before, and now they felt
almost alarmed to see them shooting like lances of fire across the sky,
and glittering with many bright colours, like a rainbow, while Laura
remembered her grandmama mentioning some days ago, that the poor natives
of Greenland believe these are the spirits of their fathers going forth
to battle.

Meantime, Lady Harriet called Frank, as usual, to his evening prayers
and reading in her dressing-room, where it was well known that they were
on no account to be disturbed. After having read a chapter, and talked
very seriously about all it was intended to teach, they had begun to
discuss the prospect of Frank going abroad very soon to become a
midshipman, and he was wondering much where his first great shipwreck
would take place, and telling Lady Harriet about the loss of the
Cabalvala, where the crew lived for eight days on a barren rock, with
nothing to eat but a cask of raspberry jam, which accidentally floated
within their reach. Before Frank had finished his story, however, he
suddenly paused, and sprung upon his feet with an exclamation of
astonishment, while Lady Harriet, looking hastily round in the same
direction, became terrified to observe a couple of faces looking in at
the window. It was so dark, she could not see what they were like, but a
moment afterwards the sash began slowly and heavily opening, after which
two figures leaped into the room, while Frank flew to ring a peal at the
bell, and Lady Harriet sunk into her own arm-chair, covering her face
with her hands, and nearly fainting with fright.

"Never mind, grandmama! do not be afraid! it is only us!" cried Harry;
"surely you know me?"

"You!!!" exclaimed Lady Harriet, looking up with amazement. "Harry and
Laura!! impossible! how in all the world did you get here? I thought you
were both in bed half an hour ago! Tiresome boy! you will be the death
of me some time or other! I wonder when you will ever pass a day without
deserving the bastinado!"

"Do you not remember the good day last month, grandmama, when I had a
severe tooth