u," said one of the boys; "you'd
behave better then."

"The Brownie!" cried Bill, contemptuously; "if I caught him, I'd kick
him up in the air like this!"

And he kicked up his cap--his only cap, it was--which, strange to
relate, flew right up, ever so high, and lodged at the very top of a
tree which overhung the stable, where it dangled for weeks and weeks,
during which time poor Bill had to go bareheaded.

He was very much vexed, and revenged himself by vexing the children in
all sorts of ways. They would have told their mother, and asked her to
send Bill away, only she had a great many anxieties just then, for their
old grandmother was very ill, and they did not like to make a fuss about
any thing that would trouble her.

So Bill staid on, and nobody found out what a bad, ill-natured, lazy boy
he was.

But one day the mother was sent for suddenly, not knowing when she
should be able to come home again. She was very sad, and so were the
children, for they loved their grandmother--and as the carriage drove
off they all stood crying round the front-door for ever so long.

The servants even cried too--all but Bill.

"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," said he. "What a jolly time I
shall have! I'll do nothing all day long. Those troublesome children
sha'n't have Jess to ride; I'll keep her in the stable, and then she
won't get dirty, and I shall have no trouble in cleaning her. Hurrah!
what fun!"

He put his hands in his pockets, and sat whistling the best part of the
afternoon.

The children had been so unhappy, that for that day they quite forgot
Jess; but next morning, after lessons were over, they came begging for a
ride.

"You can't get one. The stable-door's locked and I've lost the key." (He
had it in his pocket all the time.)

"How is poor Jess to get her dinner?" cried a thoughtful little girl.
"Oh, how hungry she will be!"

And the child was quite in distress, as were the two other girls. But
the boys were more angry than sorry.

"It was very stupid of you, Bill, to lose the key. Look about and find
it, or else break open the door."

"I won't," said Bill; "I dare say the key will turn up before night, and
if it doesn't, who cares? You get riding enough and too much. I'll not
bother myself about it, or Jess either."

And Bill sauntered away. He was a big fellow, and the little lads were
rather afraid of him. But as he walked, he could not keep his hand out
of his trowsers-pocket, where