.

Mother Hubbard said nothing; but she thought she should relish a good
dinner as well as her boarders. They all went down but Fly, who was by
this time fast asleep in Mrs. Fixfax's arms.

"I reckon the servants thought we'd been wrecked on a desert island, by
the dash we made at that turkey," whispered Horace, as they returned to
the housekeeper's room.

"How good you were, Horace Clifford, not to tell Mrs. Fixfax about my
awful cooking."

"And I didn't tell, either," said Dotty. "But wasn't it _mizzerble_?"

As if Mrs. Fixfax didn't know, and wasn't that very minute laughing over
the "tight biscuit" and low-spirited cake!

CHAPTER VII.

A FLY IN TRINITY CHURCH.

The children went to bed that night cheered by a remark which Mrs.
Fixfax dropped as if by accident.

"The cook is to fry buckwheat cakes in the morning. I dare say you would
like omelettes, too. Do you drink chocolate?"

"She takes it for granted we are going to eat down stairs," thought
Prudy. And now her troubles were over. Life bloomed before her once more
like a garden of roses.

Horace did not rest remarkably well. In the first place, the bed was too
warm. Mrs. Fixfax had rolled Fly into a big bundle, with nothing out
but the end of her nose, and was toasting her with soapstones.

"Buried alive," Horace said, "with gravestones at her head and feet."

"I'm all of a _personation_," gasped the child. "My mamma never did me
so, Hollis. She gave me little tinty tonty pills,--sugar clear
through,--not the big ones Miss Fixfix eats."

"Well, lie still, Topknot, and don't roll towards me."

For an hour or two Fly lay gasping; then she said, softly,--

"Hollis, Hollis, is He looking now?"

"Yes, dear; but don't be afraid of the good God."

"I didn't, Hollis, if I wasn't naughty. When I'm good I'm willin' He
should look."

"Naughty, Topknot?"

"Yes, Hollis; I _solomon_ promised I wouldn't go ou' doors; but that
new Miss Fixfix, she let me gwout, athout nuffin on my head, 'n' I got a
awful cold."

"O, little Fly!"

"I know it, Hollis. I was defful sorry all the time. I ate ollinges,
too; so for course I got the sore froat."

"I'm glad you told me, Fly; now I know what ails you. But you mustn't
ever disobey again."

"Yes, um," said Fly, rolling towards her brother, and crying till the
tears ran down on the flannel which was bound around her neck. A few
moments after she whispered,--

"Now I don't feel any 'fraid, Hollis; I'