supplied all the necessary
materials, so that there were no purchases to be made, and nothing
hindered their setting immediately to work. During the first evening
Jane and Isabella very carefully cut paper patterns from the articles
which were sent as patterns, and marked them very exactly on the
pasteboard before they cut it. When the different sides of the bags,
etcetera, were cut out they were found to fit exactly; so that so far
all was right. This was all that they could do by candle-light, and
Isabella longed for the morning that she might begin her drawing. She
was pleased to see that the drawings on the pattern bags did not nearly
equal what she was capable of doing, though Charles had said that he
purposely picked out those which appeared to him the best done.

The next morning breakfast was soon over, and the table placed in the
best light by the window. Isabella was seated at her drawing, Jane at
work beside her, and the children at their amusements, very carefully
avoiding the table, lest they should shake it and spoil Isabella's
drawing. They were proud of their secret, and it was to be part of
their business to watch and give notice of the approach of any
uninitiated person, from whose sight all tale-telling materials were to
be quickly swept away.

By two hours before dinner one beautiful little drawing was finished.
It was duly admired, and Jane congratulated her sister on the success of
her first day's exertion; but she was surprised to see Isabella sitting
down to begin another. "My dear Isabella, you have done for to-day,
surely?"

"No, Jane; I must outline another. I can finish the outline and the
first shades before dinner."

"But when do you mean to walk? You do not, surely, mean to stay at home
this beautiful day?"

"Only this one day: you can do without me this one day. I cannot leave
off now, indeed."

"O, Isabella, how often have I gone with you when I had much more
necessary things than these trifles to do at home! Depend upon it, you
will not do the second so well as the first, if you sit so long at it;
you will bring on a headache, too, and make me sorry that Charles ever
devised this plan for us."

"Do put it by, Isabella," said Harriet, "and go with us."

"I will, directly," said Isabella. "I beg your pardon, Jane; I was
selfish, and you never are. There, they are locked up till to-morrow,
and now let us make haste, and go for our walk."

When Isabella had done a