l, mother," said Susie, shaking back her hair, and poking the point
of her parasol between the laces of Dick's boots, "look at the way he has
laced himself up; you said yourself he was to do it tidily. And his face
is smutty already; look at him."

"Good-bye, Dick," said Mrs. Beauchamp. The train was moving smoothly out
of the station, and she leant out as far as she dared, to get a last look
at the erect figure.--"There, Susie, father is out of sight. Leave the
boys alone."

Susie frowned.

"She'd better," said Tommy, in a choked voice.

"Now you're going to be naughty," said Susie.--"I know they are,
mother--they always begin like that; they're clawing at me with their
sticky fingers. Mother, tell them not to; I didn't say anything."

"You are a beastly blab," said Tommy defiantly.

"Tom, what a word! Sit down by nurse and look out of the window.--Susie,
it is really your fault--you are so interfering."

"I'm not interfering," said Susie, aggrieved. "I'm helping you to keep
them in order."

"Well, _don't_. I would rather manage them alone.--Don't squabble, boys;
there's plenty of room for every one."

"O mother--" said Amy.

Mrs. Beauchamp still held unconsciously on to the slim black leg, but the
sudden movement of the train had jerked Amy off the seat. She clung for a
moment to the rack, but her hand slipped, and she fell headlong on to the
opposite seat, and there was a dull thud as her head crashed on to a
little wooden box.

"It's all right, darling," her mother said, and she held her close in her
comforting arms.

CHAPTER II.

Amy was a good little girl, and she tried very hard not to cry; but she
sat pressed very close to her mother's side, with her large blue eyes
full and overflowing with tears. Dick, who was very tender-hearted,
begged her to eat his toffee, which would have been comforting; but nurse
would not allow it at any price.

"No, Miss Amy," she said, "I won't hear of it--not in your pretty blue
dress. And don't lean upon your mamma; you'll wear the life out of her."

Amy pressed her soft cheek against her mother's arm, and looked up in her
face with her tearful blue eyes. She was relieved to see just the shadow
of a smile.

"Give me Master Alick, nurse," said Mrs. Beauchamp; "I am afraid he has
toothache.--There! see, Alick, all the pretty green fields going past
outside."

"It's _us_ that is going past," said Dick.

"Hold me too, mother," said Amy suddenly; "take me