, as his brother strolled in after morning school; "I
wish you would come and look at them."

"O, I can't come now, Verny; I am going out to play cricket with some
fellows directly."

"But it won't take you a minute; do come."

"What a little bore you are. Where are the things?"

"O, never mind, Eric, if you don't want to look at them," said Vernon,
hurt at his brother's rough manner.

"First you ask me to look, and then say 'never mind,'" said Eric
impatiently; "here, show me them."

The little boy brought a large saucer, round which the crimson
sea-flowers were waving their long tentacula in the salt water.

"Oh, ay; very pretty indeed. But I must be off to cricket."

Vernon looked up at his brother sadly.

"You aren't so kind to me, Eric, as you used to be."

"What nonsense! and all because I don't admire those nasty red-jelly
things, which one may see on the shore by thousands any day. What a
little goose you are, Vernon!"

Vernon made no reply, but was putting away his sea-anemones with a sigh,
when in came Russell to fetch Eric to the cricket.

"Well, Verny," he said, "have you been getting those pretty
sea-anemones? come here and show me them. Ah, I declare you've got one
of those famous white plumosa fellows among them. What a lucky little
chap you are!"

Vernon was delighted.

"Mind you take care of them," said Russell. "Where did you find them?"

"I have been down the shore getting them."

"And have you had a pleasant morning?"

"Yes, Russell, thank you. Only it is rather dull being always by myself,
and Eric never comes with me now."

"Naughty Eric," said Russell, playfully. "Never mind, Verny; you and I
will cut him, and go by ourselves."

Eric had stood by during the conversation, and the contrast of Russel's
unselfish kindness with his own harsh want of sympathy, struck him. He
threw his arms round his brother's neck, and said, "We will both go with
you, Verny, next half holiday."

"O, thank you, Eric," said his brother; and the two schoolboys ran out.
But when the next half holiday came, warm and bright, with the promise
of a good match that afternoon, Eric repented his promise, and left
Russell to amuse his little brother, while he went off, as usual, to the
playground.

There was one silent witness of scenes like these, who laid them up
deeply in her heart. Mrs. Williams was not unobservant of the gradual
but steady falling off in Eric's character, and the first thing she
not