ith them, and wanted to pack up their whole stock of
playthings (which, indeed, was a very large one), and then, as fast as
Dinah put what they desired into their trunk, Ellen snatched it out if
it belonged to her sister, and Sally did the same unless it happened to
be her own. So that, quite tired with their teasing, naughty behaviour,
she turned it topsy-turvy, and declared she would not put up any one
thing except their clothes, and added she wished they were gone with all
her heart.

I shall not take up your time with any account of their journey, nor
endeavour to describe the places which they passed through on their way
to Smiledale, whither they arrived about five o'clock in the afternoon.
Jemima ran to her mother with a degree of rapture which evinced the
sincerity of her joy in returning to her embraces as soon as her
brothers would permit her to disengage herself from their caresses, for,
as they knew the day which was fixed for their return, and could nearly
guess at the time she would arrive, they had taken their stand at the
very place where they had parted with her, and, as soon as the carriage
came in sight, they ran with their utmost speed to meet it, and came
back again, jumping by the side, and when the coach stopped, were so
eager to welcome their sister that they would scarcely leave room for
her to get out, and they were in such a hurry to show her every new
acquisition they had made since her departure that they would not allow
her time to speak to anybody but themselves.

Two Trials

I

Sally Delia

Silence being demanded, the secretary opened the trial.

_Secretary._ Lucy Sterling against Sally Delia, for raising contention
among her schoolfellows, and disturbing the general peace.

_Judge._ If I was unhappy in being appointed to sit in judgment on Billy
Prattle, how much more so must I now be when I am bound to inquire with
impartiality into every particular which may tend to convict Sally Delia
of the charge laid against her. I would, however, recommend you to go
through this business with the utmost candour, to advance nothing
through prejudice, to conceal nothing through a mistaken tenderness; and
to you, ladies of the jury, to divest yourselves of everything but
truth, to weigh nicely the force of the evidence, that, in giving your
verdict, you may convince everyone present you have acted upon upright
principles.

_Secretary._ Lucy Sterling, please to support the charge.