' Dora
suggested.

They hunted high and low, but no Dick was to be found, and Fanny burst
into tears.

'Oh, Dora,' she cried, 'perhaps the circus people have been here and
stolen him! You know they do steal little boys sometimes, and make them
walk on tight-ropes. And they may be unkind to Dick. Oh! what shall I
do?'

At this moment a man on horseback came down the lane, and there, riding
in front of him, was Dick!

Fanny thought her worst fears were realised. The man must be a circus
rider, and how could she hope to rescue her brother if the man chose to
turn and gallop away!

She rushed to meet them. 'Oh, please, sir, don't carry Dick away!' she
cried. 'He is so little, and he is too fat ever to learn to dance on a
tight-rope!'

'Why, I am bringing him home,' the man said; 'and what have I to do with
tight-ropes?'

Then Fanny recognised the gentleman as a friend of the Squire's, who was
staying with him at the Hall.

'I beg your pardon, sir; I thought the circus people had stolen him,'
she stammered.

'They have stolen a little girl's wits, I think,' said the gentleman,
smiling. 'I found Dick all alone and very forlorn, so I took him for a
ride, and am now bringing him back to see if there is any one here to
take care of him. Are you the sister who was left in charge?'

'I forgot all about him,' Fanny confessed, blushing and hanging her
head, 'and I was so frightened when I came home and did not find him
here.'

'Well, look after your little brother better another time,' the
gentleman said, as he lifted Dick down and rode away.

And forgetful Fanny remembered this lesson, and tried not to be so
thoughtless again. M. H.

THE DISAPPOINTED HEN.

'Oh' what a terrible mistake!'
Cried Mrs. Brahma Hen;
'I'd set my heart on yellow chicks,
And these are black again!'

She ran at once to Dr. Goose,
'What can I do?' cried she.
'My charge for giving good advice
Is fifteen worms,' quoth he.

It was such hot work catching them,
It nearly made her faint:
And fifteen worms'-worth of advice
Was 'Buy some yellow paint!'

A. KATHERINE PARKES.

THE MULTIPLICATION TABLE.

A village schoolmaster in Germany one day did something at which the
parents of one of his pupils foolishly took offence. On the following
morning, the angry mother of the lad entered the schoolroom during
lesson-time, and began to scold and rate the master. He knew what was
coming, and