with the red
roses.

The hurt and puzzle of this lasted him to his home, and caused him to
forget the spanking in prospect. He ate his supper in silence, quite
unaware of his mother's disapproval. After supper he hunted up Duke and
sat watching the sunset behind the twisted pines on the sandhills. He
did much cogitating, but arrived nowhere.

"Bobby!" called his mother. "Come to bed."

He said good night to Duke, and obeyed.

"Now, Bobby," said Mrs. Orde, "I don't like to do this, but you have
been a very naughty boy to-day. Come here."

Bobby came. The hair brush did its work. Usually in such case Bobby
howled before the first blow fell, but to-night he set his lips and
uttered no sounds. _Slap!_ _slap!_ _slap!_ _slap!_ with deliberate
spaces between. Bobby was released. He climbed down, his soul tense,
with agony, but his face steady--and laughed!

It was not much of a laugh, to be sure, but a laugh it was. Mrs. Orde,
shocked, scandalized, outraged and now thoroughly angry, yanked her son
again across her knees.

"Why! I never heard of anything like it!" she cried. "You naughty,
_naughty_ boy! I don't see what's got into you to-day. I'll teach you to
laugh at my spankings!"

Bobby did not laugh at this spanking. It was more than a stone could
have borne. After the fifth well-directed and vigorous smack, he howled.

Later, when the tempest of sobs had stilled to occasional gulps, Mrs.
Orde questioned him about it. They were rocking back and forth in the
big chair, the twilight all about them. Bobby said he was sorry and his
mamma had cuddled him and loved him, and all was forgiven.

"Now, Bobby, tell mamma," soothed Mrs. Orde. "Why were you such a bad
little boy as to laugh at mamma when she spanked you just now?"

"I wasn't bad," protested Bobby, "I was trying to be good. You told me
not to cry when I got hurt, but to jump up and laugh about it."

"Oh, my baby, my poor little man!" cried Mrs. Orde between laughter and
tears.

They rocked some more.

"Now, Bobby, tell mamma," insisted Mrs. Orde gently. "Why did you break
Mrs. Owen's cake? Were you as hungry as all that?"

"No ma'am," replied Bobby.

"Why did you do it, then?"

"I don't know."

Mr. Orde laughed uproariously when told of Bobby's attempt to be brave
under affliction.

"The little snoozer!" he cried. "Guess I'll go up and see him."

Bobby loved to have his father lie beside him on the bed. They never
said much; but the little boy