y savage with crossness; for the
people at Giles's Farm had laughed at him very much, and he did not like
to be laughed at--and at the top of the field he had by chance met his
mistress, and she asked him severely how he could think of leaving the
children alone.

Altogether, his conscience pricked him a good deal, and when people's
consciences prick them, sometimes they get angry with other people,
which is very silly, and only makes matters worse.

"What have you been doing all this time?" said he.

"All this five minutes?" said the oldest boy, mischievously; for
Gardener was only to be away five minutes, and he had staid a full
hour. Also, when he fumbled in his pocket for the children's lunch--to
stop their tongues, perhaps--he found it was not there.

They set up a great outcry; for, in spite of the cake, they could have
eaten a little more. Indeed, the frost had such an effect upon all their
appetites, that they felt not unlike that celebrated gentleman of whom
it is told that

"He ate a cow, and ate a calf,
He ate an ox, and ate a half;
He ate a church, he ate the steeple,
He ate the priest, and all the people,
And said he hadn't had enough then."

"We're so hungry, so very hungry! Couldn't you go back again and fetch
us some dinner?" cried they, entreatingly.

"Not I, indeed. You may go back to dinner yourselves. You shall, indeed,
for I want my dinner too. Two hours is plenty long enough to stop on the
ice."

"It isn't two hours--it's only one."

"Well, one will do better than more. You're all right now--and you might
soon tumble in, or break your legs on the slide. So come away home."

It wasn't kind of Gardener, and I don't wonder the children felt it
hard; indeed, the eldest boy resisted stoutly.

"Mother said we might stop all day, and we will stop all day. You may go
home if you like."

"I won't, and you shall!" said Gardener, smacking a whip that he carried
in his hand. "Stop till I catch you, and I'll give you this about your
back, my fine gentleman."

And he tried to follow, but the little fellow darted across the ice,
objecting to be either caught or whipped. It may have been rather
naughty, but I am afraid it was great fun dodging the Gardener up and
down; he being too timid to go on the slippery ice, and sometimes
getting so close that the whip nearly touched the lad.

"Bless us! there's the kangaroo again!" said he, starting. Just