te of
bumps and thumps, and finally succeeded in hoisting his fat legs up for
the briefest second imaginable, which was perfectly satisfactory, and
after which he righted himself, with serenely glowing face.

"Did," he said, triumphantly; to which the judge, sitting gravely on the
stairs, assented with much solemnity, and seemed to be casting about in
his mind for some other feat to propose.

"Hurts," said the young tumbler, rubbing his top-knot with a mite of a
hand, and glancing severely at the judge.

"Stand on this," said the judge, coming down and offering his square
inch of pocket-handkerchief, which was accordingly laid down by the
post. "That makes it thoft; won't hurt now. Do't over."

With a readiness and faith that was sublime, he of the petticoats went
at it, and had just succeeded in turning a side somersault, such as was
never seen before, when further effort was nipped in the bud by some one
coming into the hall.

"Good gracious!" cried a merry voice, as the tumbler was caught up,
shaken, and set down with some force. "What are you up to now, Thomas,
my lively son?"

"He wath standin' on hith head, auntie," explained the judge, with great
politeness, as the tumbler appeared too much confused by all the
circumstances to make any answer.

"Wath he, indeed?" laughed Thomas's mama. "Mashing his little head all
to jelly; poor Tommy!"

"No," said Tom, whose remarks were more noticeable for brevity than
anything else. "No shelly."

"Yes, indeed, little soft-head; come, ask papa," and with that Mrs.
Tremayne--for who should it be but lively Kat--shouldered her small, but
ambitious son, and carried him away. The judge looked forlorn after
that. He folded his small handkerchief and put it carefully away in its
tiny pocket, then he sat down on the lowest step and looked thoughtfully
out of the front door, as though he expected further developments to
arrive from that direction. Nor was he disappointed. There arose a sound
of labored and energetic breathing from without, as of some one toiling
up the steps, and then something in white fluttered across the porch,
and in at the door, and the judge fairly beamed with delight and
satisfaction.

"Hullo!" he said politely.

"'Llo," returned the new-comer.

"Where'd you come from?"

"Off," said the stranger, with a flourish of both small arms, intended
to indicate some great distance. "Runned off."

"Did you? From Pansy?"

"Yeth." And the bunch of ruffl