ing cart-wheels. Peter saw the
little figure waiting, and jumped down at once.

'Anything I can do in town for you, Master Godfrey?' he asked.

'Yes,' said Godfrey, very seriously, 'I am going to give you some money
to spend, Pete, to spend on presents. I want two very beautiful
presents for two ladies, and a little one that would suit an old nurse.'

'Certainly, sir,' said Pete gravely.

Godfrey jingled his pennies thoughtfully.

'There's a good deal of money,' he remarked. 'Perhaps there might be
some over.'

'Very true, sir,' said Pete with much seriousness. Godfrey considered
again. Then that happy Christmas feeling which makes our hearts widen
to all the world got the best of it:

'If there should be any over, Pete,' he said, 'I should like you to
choose another present.'

'I shall be proud to do my best, sir. Would the present be for a lady
or a gentleman, sir?'

'For a gentleman, Pete. A gentleman not very young and not at all
handsome, that doesn't care much about nice things or pretty things, so
it mustn't be an ornament; and that only reads the paper, so it mustn't
be a story-book; and that doesn't like any games, so it mustn't be
anything to play with. Do you think you could do that, Pete?'

'I'd try, Master Godfrey. It 'd be a useful thing, now, the gentleman
would fancy?'

'Yes, certainly useful,' said Godfrey decidedly; 'and rather cheerful
too, if you could manage it, for Cousin Cray--I mean the
gentleman--isn't a very cheerful gentleman, and I thought perhaps a
present might make him a little more cheerful for Christmas.'

'And I'm to spend all this money, Master Godfrey?'

'Yes, all,' said Godfrey generously, pouring his pennies into Pete's
hand; 'you're not to bring back one.'

'I do like giving presents,' he went on, as Pete counted the money and
put it in his big leathern purse. 'If I had a lot more money I know
what I'd do. I'd tell you to choose a present for a gentleman that is
one of the very bravest, best people in the world, a gentleman that
likes ships and fighting and gardens and flowers, and is always kind to
every one except people he ought to kill; but I should think it would
take nearly a hundred pounds to buy a present that would be good enough
for him. Good-bye, Pete; I shall try and run round to the Place before
lessons to-morrow to see what you've got.'

But Godfrey had not to wait till next morning, for just before his
bed-time Penny came to the parlour