"'Oh dear, who has done this?' cried little Vea, while Patrick turned
away with blushing face. 'Patrick, this is a wicked action; do you know
anything about it? Now be careful; think well before you answer.'

"Uncle John could scarcely keep from smiling at the way Vea spoke, and
the anxious manner shown towards her brother. 'O Patrick,' she
exclaimed, 'if you did this, it is very wicked; you must go and tell
aunt about it at once.'

"Instead of answering, however, Patrick set off at a gallop, and
disappeared behind some bushes, leaving Vea standing looking after him
with glistening eyes. 'What is to be done now?' she said, as if to
herself; 'it is so difficult to get Patrick to own a fault, and I fear
he will lead Alfred into more mischief. O mamma, mamma, I wish you had
never left us! I do try to keep the boys right, but they are so wild
sometimes.'

"'You cannot do more than your best, my child,' said my uncle, laying
his hand tenderly on her bowed head. 'Would you like me to speak to
your aunt for Patrick?'

"'Oh no, sir, thank you very kindly,' she said, drying her eyes hastily;
'Patrick must confess the fault himself, if he has done it. Aunt Berkley
is so good-natured, that I am sure she would excuse him if you asked;
but that would not be safe for Patrick,--he forgets so soon, and will be
at some other mischief directly. Aunt Mary warned me about this very
sort of thing.'

"'Well, I am sure he ought to be a good boy, having such a kind, good
little sister to look after him.'

"'Please, sir, don't say that,' said Vea, the tears coming to her eyes
again; 'I don't deserve such praise; for the reason why Aunt Mary told
me of Patrick's faults was, she wished to point out my own, and she
knows I am so lazy, and don't like to check the boys, lest they should
call me "Goody;" but Aunt Mary said I ought to look after them,--that a
good word costs nothing; at anyrate, if I had only to bear being called
a harmless name, it was but a very small cross, compared to the evil I
might cause by allowing the boys to play mischievous tricks.'

"'That is right, my dear child,' said Uncle John; 'we must do our duty,
however hard it may be; and though a good word in one sense costs
nothing, still we all know it sometimes costs a good deal, and is a
difficult matter, to a great many people.'

[Illustration: ON BOARD THE STEAMER.]

"To Vea's astonishment, instead of her Aunt Berkley letting her brother
off easily, when she fou