marched boldly in, holding up her string of fish.

"See, Aunt Beulah! they're just fresh out of the water, and won't they
make us a nice dinner?"

"And they're your favorite fish, ma'am, them pretty speckled trout is,"
put in Ann, glad to make a diversion in her own favor, as well as to help
Lulu out of a scrape; "and I'll go right to work to clean 'em and have 'em
ready for the frying-pan in less than no time."

"Yes, they'll be very nice; and the meat will keep for to-morrow," was the
gracious rejoinder. "You oughtn't to have gone off without leave, Lulu;
but I suppose Max couldn't wait."

"No, Aunt Beulah, he said he couldn't stay more than a minute. Shall I
help Ann clean the fish?"

"No; go and make yourself tidy. Your hands are dirty, your apron soiled,
and your hair looks as if it hadn't been combed for a week."

Mrs. Scrimp's face was gathering blackness as she scanned the figure of
the young delinquent from head to foot, spying out all that was amiss with
it.

"I will," said Lulu, moving toward the door with cheerful alacrity. "Oh, I
forgot!" and rushing into the hall, she came back the next minute
bringing her basket of treasures.

"See, Aunt Beulah, I've brought you lots of lovely leaves; you know you
said you wanted some to make a wreath; and here are mosses, and grapes,
and hazel-nuts."

"Why you have made good use of your time," Mrs. Scrimp said, now entirely
mollified. "Bring your basket into the sitting-room, where Gracie is; and
we'll look over its contents."

Max was less fortunate to-day than his sister. His custodian was on the
look-out for him, cowhide in hand, and seizing him roughly, as he entered
the gate, with a fierce, "I'll teach you to disobey orders another time,
you young vagabond! I told you to come home at noon, and you're over two
hours behind time!" began to administer an unmerciful flogging.

"Stop!" cried Max, trying to dodge the blows. "How could I tell the time?
I came as soon as I thought it was noon."

But his tormentor was in a towering passion and would not stay his hand to
listen to any excuse.

"Do you mean to kill me?" screamed Max. "You'll hang for it if you do. And
my father----"

"Your father believes in enforcing obedience to orders, sir; and
I'll----"

But at this instant there was an interference from a third party.

At a little distance some men were at work hewing timber. They had been
working there for weeks, in which Max had made acquaintance an