ee kept her
determination of affording them no provisions.

"What is to be done!" said Charles, very anxiously, as he felt extremely
sorry for his little friends. "If Mama had been at home, she would
gladly have sent whatever you liked for tea, but unluckily she is dining
out! I saw a loaf of bread lying on a table at home this evening, which
she would make you quite welcome to! Shall I run home, as fast as
possible, to fetch it? That would, at any rate, be better than nothing!"

Poor Charles Forrester was very lame, therefore, while he talked of
running he could hardly walk, but Lady Forrester's house stood so near,
that he soon reached home, when, snatching up the loaf, he hurried back
towards the street with his prize, quite delighted to see how large and
substantial it looked. Scarcely had he reached the door, however, before
the housekeeper ran hastily out, saying,

"Stop, Mr. Charles! stop! sure you are not running away with the loaf
for my tea, and the parrot must have her supper too. What do you want
with that there bread?"

"Never mind, Mrs. Comfit!" answered Charles, hastening on faster than
ever, while he grasped the precious loaf more firmly in his hand, and
limped along at a prodigious rate, "Polly is getting too fat, so she
will be the better of fasting for this one day."

Mrs. Comfit, being enormously fat herself, became very angry at this
remark, so she seemed quite desperate to recover the loaf, and hurried
forward to overtake Charles, but the old housekeeper was so heavy and
breathless, while the young gentleman was so lame, that it seemed an
even chance which won the race. Harry stood at his own door, impatiently
hoping to receive the prize, and eagerly stretched out his arms to
encourage his friend, while it was impossible to say which of the
runners might arrive first. Harry had sometimes heard of a race between
two old women tied up in sacks, and he thought they could scarcely move
with more difficulty; but at the very moment when Charles had reached
the door, he stumbled over a stone, and fell on the ground. Mrs. Comfit
then instantly rushed up, and seizing the loaf, she carried it off in
triumph, leaving the two little friends ready to cry with vexation, and
quite at a loss what plan to attempt next.

Mean time, a sad riot had arisen in the dining-room, where the boys
called loudly for their tea; and the young ladies drew their chairs all
round the table, to wait till it was ready. Still no