said the farmer, "perhaps it
would amuse the children to see them--black pigs are rare in these
parts."

He turned towards the field, Max, Dolly and their mother following.

"Mamma," said Max, eagerly, "did you hear? There's only twelve."

"But I saw _thirteen_," said Dolly.

"Yes," said mamma. "You were right as to the number of pigs, Max, but
Dolly was right as to the number of black creatures she counted, for
Nigger was there. So you were wrong in your _counting_, Max, and Dolly
was wrong in the number of pigs, and so--"

"Both were right and both were wrong," cried the children together,
"like the people who quarrelled about the shield!"

"Just fancy!" said Dolly.

"It _is_ queer!" said Max.

And when they got to the gate and stood looking at the pigs--I think
Dolly preferred keeping the gate between her and them--they counted
again, and this time there were only twelve! For Nigger was standing
meekly at his master's heels, having been whipped for his misdemeanours
of the day before.

"Any way, mamma," said Dolly, as they made their way home again after a
pleasant little walk, "it shows how silly it is ever to _quarrel_,
doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," Max agreed.

And you may be sure mamma was _quite_ of the same opinion!

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Right Hand And Left

An old friend had come to see the children's mother. They had not met
for several years, and the visitor was of course interested in seeing
all the little people.

So mamma rang the bell for all five to come down from the nursery. Lily
and Belle, being the two eldest, came first. Lily was eleven, Belle's
ninth birthday was just passed. They were followed by their two
brothers, Basil and George, who were only seven and five, and Baby
Barbara, a young lady of two. They were a pleasant-looking little
party, and their kind-faced new friend asked many questions about them,
as each was introduced to her by name.

The children did not care very much for her remarks as to whom each of
them was like, for she spoke of relations most of them were too young to
remember, or had scarcely ever heard of, as she was an elderly lady.

But the two older girls at least, listened with all their ears to one or
two little things their own dear mother herself said about them.

"Lily," she said, as she drew forward the fair-haired little girl, "is
already quite my right hand."

Lily's eyes sparkled with pleasure, but Belle grew rather