"When I threw the book, I did
not care whether I killed the bird or not."

"I am afraid that Norman is a very naughty boy," observed Mrs Maclean,
who did not understand the feeling which prompted him to say this. "You
know the advice I have often given you, my dear Mary, and I hope when
Captain Vallery comes, he will see the necessity of punishing him when
he behaves ill, more severely than he appears hitherto to have done."

Norman looked up at Mrs Maclean with a frown on his brow. He was
beginning again to harden his heart, which had been softened by Fanny's
grief and the gentle way she had spoken to him.

"I don't thank you for saying that, old lady," he thought. "If papa
whips me, I shall remember who advised him to do so," and he determined
to say no more. In vain his mamma and Mrs Maclean asked him why he had
killed the bird, the latter continuing to scold him severely for some
minutes.

At last Mrs Leslie came back leading Fanny, whose countenance still
showed traces of her grief. As she entered the room she heard Mrs
Maclean's last remarks.

"Oh, do not scold Norman," she said coming up to her, "do not be angry,
dear mamma! I am sure he is very sorry for what he has done, and I want
to forgive him; indeed I do, I do not wish that he should be punished in
any way."

Norman had not for a moment supposed that his sister would attempt to
defend him, and, touched by her forgiving spirit, he ran up to her and
took her hand.

"Thank you, Fanny," he said, "I do not mind how much scolding I get, for
I deserve it, and I wish you would scold me too, but yet I can bear from
others much more than I can from you."

Fanny only replied by kissing him. She then took his hand.

"Come with me, Norman," she said, "granny has been telling me what we
had better do, and if you will help me we will do it at once. Granny
has promised that she will not scold you," she whispered in his ear.

Norman cast a half-timid grateful glance at his granny, he did not
venture to look at Mrs Maclean and mamma, and willingly accompanied
Fanny out of the room. "What is it you want to do, Fanny?" he asked as
she led him back into the study.

"I want you to help me to bury poor Pecksy," she answered. "Granny
says, that as long as we see him, we shall be thinking about him, but
that if he is buried, we shall by degrees forget all about this sad
event, and we will therefore bury him as soon as we can. I propose that
we should get t