doors to play with his
hoop.

"In the middle of the afternoon she began to arrange for her little
feast. First, she took the nut-cracker and cracked the large walnuts,
the almonds, and the filberts, and put them in the glass dishes ready to
set them on the table. Then she cut the cake into square pieces, and
grated sugar over them. After that, she put the figs into plates, and
then brought out the basket of oranges.

"All this time, Moses had been kneeling in his chair by the table,
watching her as she worked. He looked very sober. He was thinking about
the orange, and wished he had not taken it.

"When his mother began to take the oranges from the basket, he felt as
if he should cry, he was so afraid she would find out what he had done.

"'Why,' said the lady to herself, 'here are only twelve. I asked him to
get thirteen.' She counted them over again. All at once she looked at
Moses, and said, 'I hope you have not eaten one of mother's oranges, my
dear.'

"'No,' said the little boy, 'I haven't touched one.'"

"O, dear!" said Frankie. "I'm afraid God won't love Moses any more, he
is so naughty, and tells so many lies."

Frankie jumped up when he said this, and Ponto took the opportunity to
turn himself over. He had lain very still before, for fear of disturbing
his little master.

"'What did you want thirteen for?' asked Moses. 'You said there would be
twelve at the party.'

"'Because I meant to send one to Sarah Christie. Joseph and Belle are
coming, but Sarah is sick, you know; so I meant to send her one. I
suppose your father forgot it; but I'm very sorry.'"

Mrs. Gray was going on to tell the rest of the story, but she saw that
Frankie looked very pale, and she stopped.

"I want to womit," said he, and she ran quickly to get the bowl. Then
she gave him some medicine, and put him into bed, while she sent Nelly
to play out doors until he awoke.

CHAPTER IV.

NELLY'S PUNISHMENT.

IN a few days Frankie was quite well again, and able to play merrily
with Nelly, who had sadly missed him in her out-door exercise.

The little girl had not been long with her aunt before the lady saw that
the right training of her niece would require much skill and patience.
Nelly had never been taught to obey, and could not be made to
understand why she should not have her own way, as she had done at home.
There was another thing which made her aunt feel very badly. She found
that, young as Nelly was, she had alr