tunity for a little thought, Johnnie, my man,
and I hope will be more careful not to act contrary to my known wishes
another time; so now come and help us to rejoice over the recovery of
poor Mrs. Western's thermometer.' Johnnie came, nothing loth, pausing,
however, to ask, 'May I speak to mamma first? She heard me come
up-stairs.'

Permission was given, and after a preliminary tap the bonnie face
peeped into the sickroom. 'All right, dear little mother: I _was_ rather
in a scrape just now, but papa has forgiven me, and I'm going
down-stairs again. Good-night, dear mamma.' The white curtains of the
bed were drawn aside for one minute, and the sweet motherly eyes looked
out at him.

'Good-night, and thank you for coming to me, my darling boy; only
remember'--very gently--'a _pardoned_ fault needn't be a _forgotten_
one, Johnnie.'

'No, mamma.' There was a momentary quiver in the gay, ringing voice, and
it was quite enough for the mother. 'That will do; I can trust you not
to forget _this_ time, Johnnie,' she said, and with a happy smile she
lay down to sleep.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER III.

WHAT SEVEN CAMPBELLS CAN DO.

SPITE of obstacles, the labours of the 'Seven Campbells,' as Willie
grandly called them, did effect a great improvement in the desert, and
the seventh certainly took his share, so far as such a very small man
could; for he pulled up a great many weeds with his little fat hands,
and brushed down the gravel on the walks with a tooth-brush! The Doctor,
seeing his boys were in earnest, lent them his help whenever he could
spare time, sent for the remainder of the gravel for them, showed them
how to lay it, trimmed the borders, sowed some potatoes, and presented
them with four apple-trees, which he planted at four corners of the
ground, and called 'Gozmaringa, Geroldinga, Crevedella, and Spirauca,'
after the names of some apple-trees that belonged to King Charlemagne.
But, spite of his assistance, there was a great deal requiring the boys'
exertions; and they worked like Trojans, devoting nearly all their
play-hours and pocket-money to this object, and finding in it both
interest and amusement. Johnnie had learnt one or two lessons from this
undertaking: first, that in working for a good object, it is not only
necessary to have a right intention at starting, but that constant pains
and perseverance are requisite,--as in the matter of Caesar; secondly,
that a privilege earned is sweeter than on