usted."

Nelly did not know what to reply, so she only shook her head gravely.

"Do you think, Nelly, that I'd have time to rush off to Education this
morning and bring back a table, bed, and a couple of chairs on my back?"

Though Nelly was really sorry for her brother, she could hardly help
smiling at the idea of fat little Lubin puffing, panting, and blowing,
under such a formidable burden. "I fear that you have no time to-day,"
she replied, "for even one journey to the town of Education. We expect
our dear mother early, and we all, except poor Dick, who is not strong
enough yet, are going to meet her on the road."

Lubin rubbed his forehead harder than before. "Had it not been for that
thief Procrastination!" he exclaimed,--

"And Amusement Bazaar," suggested Nelly.

"Oh," exclaimed Lubin, half ready to cry, "what a stupid donkey I have
been!"

"I wish," said the pitying Nelly, "that we were allowed to help each
other more. Not that I have much furniture to spare, but how gladly
would I give of that little!"

"That's impossible," sighed poor Lubin; "and even if you could stuff my
empty cottage with a dozen or so of your facts, that would not hide the
horrible DUNCE which Mr. Learning scrawled on my wall. To think of
mother's seeing it! ugh! how dreadfully shocked she will be!" and Lubin
gave his forehead an actual bang, as if to punish it for his own
neglect.

"Well, Lubin dear," said Nelly in a soothing tone, "we may regret the
mistakes of the past, but let them only make us more anxious to do more
with our future hours. You will begin to work hard to-morrow, and carry
away a good store from Arithmetic or General Knowledge."

"I believe the first thing that I should do," observed the rueful boy,
"is to master that ladder of Spelling."

"True, you will never get on without that," said Nelly. "I daresay with
patience and pains you will get a well-furnished house after all."

Poor Lubin looked only half comforted; but hearing a slow, feeble step,
he hastened with Nelly to support Dick, and lead him to his comfortable
arm-chair.

"So mother is coming to-day, and you are all going to meet her," said
the pale boy, with a languid smile.

"You will wait and welcome her here, dear brother," said Nelly.

"No," replied Dick, with quiet sadness; "I will await her in my own poor
cottage, it is there that she expects to see me. Will you kindly support
me thither? I have just enough strength to cross the sward."