proceeded to join the other boys, to the great increase of
their merriment, instructing them in making figures of eight, and in all
the other mysteries of the skating art, which they could scarcely enjoy
more than he seemed to do. Henrietta, cold and unhappy, grieved at her
brother's conduct, and still more grieved at the displeasure of her
uncle, wished to return to the house, yet could not make up her mind
to do so, for fear of her mamma's asking about Fred; and whilst she was
still doubting and hesitating, the Church bell began to ring, reminding
her of the saint's day service, one of the delights of Knight Sutton
to which she had so long looked forward. Yet here was another
disappointment. The uncles and the two girls immediately prepared to go.
Jessie said she must take Arthur and Charley home, and set off. The boys
could do as they pleased, and Willy holding Uncle Geoffrey's hand was
going with him, but the rest continued their sport, and among them was
Fred. He had never disobeyed a Church bell before, and had rather not
have done so now, but as he saw none of his male companions setting off,
he fancied that to attend a week-day service in the holidays might be
reckoned a girlish proceeding, imagined his cousins laughing at him as
soon as his back was turned, and guessed from Uncle Geoffrey's grave
looks that he might be taken to task when no longer protected by the
presence of the rest.

He therefore replied with a gruff short "No" to his sister's anxious
question whether he was not coming, and flourished away to the other end
of the pond; but a few seconds after he was not a little surprised and
vexed at finding himself mistaken after all--at least so far as regarded
Alex, who had been only going on with his sport to the last moment, and
now taking off his skates, vaulted over the gate, and ran at full speed
after the rest of the party, overtaking them before they reached the
village.

Henrietta was sadly disappointed when, looking round at the sound of
footsteps, she saw him instead of her brother. His refusal to go to
Church grieved her more than his disobedience, on which she did not in
general look with sufficient seriousness, and for which in the present
case there were many extenuating circumstances, which she longed to
plead to Uncle Geoffrey, who would, she thought, relax in his severity
towards her poor Fred, if he knew how long he had waited, and how
much he had been teased. This, however, she could