aid he would not have had the dogs excluded
on any consideration. It was just at the end, when they were all
marching round and round, holding on by each other's swords "over the
shoulder," and singing "A mumming we will go, etc.," that Nicholas
suddenly brought the circle to a stand-still by stopping dead short, and
staring up at the wall before him.

"What _are_ you stopping for?" said Robert, turning indignantly around.

"Look there!" cried Nicholas, pointing to a little painting which hung
above the old man's head.

Robin looked, and said abruptly, "It's Dora."

"Which is Dora?" asked the old man in a strange, sharp tone.

"Here she is," said Robin and Nicholas in one breath, as they dragged
her forward.

"She's the Doctor," said Robin, "and you can't see her face for her
things. Dor, take off your cap and pull back that hood. There! Oh, it
_is_ like her!"

It was the portrait of her mother as a child; but of this the nursery
mummers knew nothing. The old man looked as the peaked cap and hood fell
away from Dora's face and fair curls, and then he uttered a sharp cry,
and buried his head upon his hands. The boys stood stupefied, but Dora
ran up to him, and putting her little hands on his arms, said, in
childish pitying tones, "Oh, I am so sorry! Have you got a headache? May
Robin put the shovel in the fire for you? Mamma has hot shovels for her
headaches." And though the old man did not speak or move, she went on
coaxing him, and stroking his head, on which the hair was white. At this
moment Pax took one of his unexpected runs, and jumped on to the old
man's knee, in his own particular fashion, and then yawned at the
company. The old man was startled, and lifted his face suddenly. It was
wet with tears.

"Why, you're crying!" exclaimed the children with one breath.

"It's very odd," said Robin, fretfully. "I can't think what's the matter
to-night. Mamma was crying too when we were acting, and papa said we
weren't to tease her with questions, and he kissed her hand, and I
kissed her hand too. And papa said we must all be very good and kind to
poor dear mamma, and so I mean to be, she's so good. And I think we'd
better go home, or perhaps she'll be frightened," Robin added.

"She's so good, is she?" asked the old man. He had put Pax off his
knee, and taken Dora on to it.

"Oh, isn't she!" said Nicholas, swaying his curly head from side to side
as usual.

"She's always good," said Robin, emphatically; "an