lways take the blame to screen you, so you had
better give it up." Isn't Patrick a strange boy, sir?'

"It was a happy day for little Vea when her brother Patrick was able to
be wheeled out, by his faithful friend Dick, in the chair his aunt got
for the purpose; and I need not say that Patrick enjoyed it very much. I
was invited to spend a week with them then, and as the weather was
indeed beautiful, we were constantly in the open air. Patrick had always
been fond of gardening, and it vexed him to see how his flowers had
been neglected during his illness. 'Never mind,' said Dick; 'I bean't
much of a gardener, but I'll do my best to set it all to rights, and I'm
sure the young ladies there will lend a hand.'

[Illustration: DICK TRYING HIS HAND AT GARDENING.]

"While Dick dug the ground, Vea and Alfred and I arranged the flowers,
much to the satisfaction of every one; and even Alfred, who was not very
fond of work, said these busy days were the happiest he had ever spent.

"The day before I left my kind friends, Uncle John came over with a
letter from home, saying that I was to return there immediately.

"'Oh dear; I am so sorry,' said Vea. 'I was hoping, sir, she might be
allowed to stay for ever so long--at anyrate till all our gardens were
finished.'

"'Ah! but there is a pleasant surprise awaiting Miss Lily there,' said
my uncle, laughing. 'I am almost certain that even the lovely gardens
will be quite forgotten when she sees what it is.'

"'A pleasant surprise, uncle!' I exclaimed. 'What is it?--do tell me,
please!'

"'You can't be told till you reach home,' said my uncle, laughing; 'I am
bound over to secrecy.' And though I over and over again tried to get
him to tell me, he only laughed, as he replied, 'All in good time, Lily;
you wouldn't have me break my promise, surely.'

"Dolly was so sorry to part with me, and I was so sorry to leave her,
that while we were packing my clothes we cried over the trunk.

"'I wouldn't mind your going, miss,' said Dolly, 'if I thought you would
remember me sometimes; but I'm thinking, now that there is a new---- Oh
dear, dear,' she cried; 'I was just about to let the cat out of the bag,
and what would your uncle have said to that, I wonder!'

"It was plain now that Dolly knew of the pleasant surprise that was
waiting for me at home, and the thought of it helped me to be less sorry
to part with her and kind Uncle John and all the pleasant things at the
rectory. All the