ng a shining stream partly on to the carpet
and partly on to Aunt Evangeline's black silk knee. A storm of
reproaches burst out.

"First that horrible insect," almost wept Aunt Evangeline, "and then
this messy stuff all over me. It's a good thing I don't live here. One
day a year is enough.... My nerves!..."

"Dear, dear!" said Aunt Jane.

"Fancy taking a new-laid _egg_ for that," said Ethel severely.

William was pale and indignant.

"Well, I did jus' what the book said to do. Look at it. It says: 'Take
an egg. Conceal it in the pocket.' Well, I took an egg an' I concealed
it in the pocket. Seems to me," he said bitterly, "seems to me this
book isn't 'Things a Boy Can Do.' It's 'Things a Boy Can't Do.'"

Mr. Brown rose slowly from his chair.

"You're just about right there, my son. Thank _you_," he said with
elaborate politeness, as he took the book from William's reluctant
hands and went over with it to a small cupboard in the wall. In this
cupboard reposed an airgun, a bugle, a catapult, and a mouth-organ. As
he unlocked it to put the book inside, the fleeting glimpse of his
confiscated treasures added to the bitterness of William's soul.

"On Christmas Day, too!"

While he was still afire with silent indignation Aunt Lucy returned
from church.

"The vicar _didn't_ preach," she said. "They say that this morning's
sermon was beautiful. As I say, I don't want William to reproach
himself, but I feel that he has deprived me of a very great treat."

"_Nice_ Willum!" murmured Jimmy sleepily from his corner.

As William undressed that night his gaze fell upon the flower-bedecked
motto: "A Busy Day is a Happy Day."

"It's a story," he said, indignantly. "It's jus' a wicked ole story."

CHAPTER II

RICE-MOULD

"Rice-mould," said the little girl next door bitterly. "Rice-mould!
Rice-mould! every single day. I _hate_ it, don't you?"

She turned gloomy blue eyes upon William, who was perched perilously
on the ivy-covered wall. William considered thoughtfully.

"Dunno," he said. "I just eat it; I never thought about it."

"It's _hateful_, just _hateful_. Ugh! I've had it at dinner and I'll
have it at supper--bet you anything. I say, you are going to have a
party to-night, aren't you?"

William nodded carelessly.

"Are you going to be there?"

"Me!" ejaculated William in a tone of amused surprise. "I should think
so! You don't think they could have it without _me_, do you? Huh! Not
much!"

Sh