ion on which you have
exhibited it."

Norman held his tongue, and soon after this Captain Vallery returned
from London.

Norman ran to him eagerly, expecting that he had a fresh football, or
some other toy, but his papa had been too much ashamed of him to think
of doing so, and Norman went out of the room grumbling at the neglect
with which he was treated.

"He cares for Fanny more than me," he muttered; "I daresay he has
brought her something, but I am not going to let her boast of her
beautiful doll, while I have got nothing to play with."

Fanny did not dream that Norman would ever think of doing any harm to
her doll, although every day after she had been playing with it, as it
was too large to go into her doll's house, she either put it away
carefully in a drawer, or carried it into granny's room. Norman
therefore, though he looked about for Miss Lucy, could never find her.

Norman was much older than many boys, who can read well, and Mrs Leslie
strongly advised Captain Vallery to have him instructed.

"He will learn in good time, and I do not like to run the risk of
breaking his spirits by beginning too early," answered Captain Vallery.

"But unless he begins to learn I do not see how he will ever be able to
read, and until he does so, he cannot amuse himself, but must always be
dependent upon others," answered his grandmamma. "I will take him in
hand, and when I am unable to teach him I daresay Mrs Norton will do
so."

Captain Vallery at last consented that Norman should begin learning.

Mrs Leslie found him a very refractory pupil, for although he evidently
could learn, he would not attend to what she told him, and she was
therefore glad to give him over to Mrs Norton. That lady had no idea
of allowing a little boy to have his own way, so she kept Master Norman
every morning close by her side till he had finished the task she set
him. In a few days he knew all the letters, and could soon read short
words without difficulty. He however did not feel at all as grateful as
he ought to have done, for the instruction given him, and gladly escaped
from the schoolroom when Mrs Norton devoted her attention to Fanny.

One day his grandmamma had driven out with his papa and mamma, to call
on some friends, when Norman having finished his lessons, Mrs Norton
said to him, "You may go out and play on the lawn for an hour, till I
call you in again."

Norman ran off, well pleased to be at liberty, but not knowin