essie,
clapping her hands. "Won't it be nice, Emily?"

Emily thought it would. The girls thanked Guy for his good news, and,
springing from the sofa, started to inform Charlie and Mrs. Carlton of the
proposed party. Charlie was delighted. Mrs. Carlton knew all about it,
because the whole matter had been quietly arranged a day or two before by
her and Mrs. Sherwood. Carried away by the idea of this delightful
excursion, Jessie left her six dolls, with their incompleted dresses, on
the sofa, on the chairs, and on the floor. Impulse, the merry little
wizard, had seized her, and she thought of nothing but the nutting-party
the remainder of the morning.

CHAPTER III.

A Nutting-Party.

A few minutes before one o'clock, a long, spring market-wagon, drawn by
two noble horses, stopped before the gate of Glen Morris Cottage. It
contained Carrie Sherwood and her party, all but the Carltons and their
visitors. Mr. Sherwood sat on the driver's seat. He went with the young
folks to drive, and, as he quaintly said, "to see that the hawks did not
pounce on his chickens;" by which figure of speech, I suppose, he meant
that he went to keep the young folks out of danger.

Jessie and her guests, together with Hugh and Guy, were all waiting when
the carriage drove up. Shouts of welcome greeted them from the wagon. They
gave back cheer for cheer as they sprang to their places, all but Charlie,
who stood near the front wheel pouting, and looking very sulky. Mr.
Sherwood, who had turned half round to watch the seating of his guests,
did not notice the boy, but supposing the party to be now complete, faced
his team, drew the reins tight, flourished his whip, and shouted--

"All aboard!"

"Charlie is not aboard yet," cried Emily.

"Come, Charlie! Jump up here!" shouted half a dozen voices.

"I don't want to," said Charlie, in a drawling tone.

"Don't you wish to go, my little fellow?" asked Mr. Sherwood.

"I want to sit on the coachman's seat," simpered the boy, as he stuffed
his finger into his mouth.

The driver's seat was not meant for two persons, and Mr. Sherwood was in
doubt whether to crowd Charlie into it or not. But seeing from the boy's
manner that he would spoil the pleasure of the party if he did not, and
being a very indulgent man, he at last consented. So pulling him up to the
footboard, he stowed him away by his side, and cracking his long whip,
drove off amidst a volley of cheers from the boys, the laughter