mission to go to the gardener and get just what seeds they
wanted; so some of the boys planted melons and cucumbers, and some
pumpkins and radishes, and two of them made an elegant flower-garden.
They put their ground together, and erected a little hill in the centre,
with a path all round it, and all the borders they planted with roses,
and cockscombs, and mignonette, and sweet-peas, and many other pretty
flowers; and when the flowers came out, their garden gave quite a
brilliant appearance to the place.

The boys had also a very large play-ground, and in it their kind
teacher had had a number of gymnastic poles put up, for their healthy
exercise and amusement. There was one very high pole, with four strong
ropes fastened to the top of it, and an iron ring at the ends of the
ropes. The boys would take hold of the rings, and run round as fast as
they could; then lifting their feet off the ground, away they would fly
in the air, round and round, like so many little crazy monkeys. There
was one little chap that could climb up one of the ropes like a cat, and
hang upon the top of the pole.

Then they had swinging-bars, and jumping-bars, with a spring-board to
jump from, and wooden horses, and a climbing-pole, and several other
things; but, what was better than all, they had a funny little ragged
pony, and a short-legged, long-eared donkey, for their especial use, and
many were the fine rides they had on their backs.

Sometimes, to be sure, the pony had a fashion of dancing a slow jig on
his hind-legs, with his fore-feet in the air; but the boys were used to
that, and stuck on until the dance was finished; then the pony would
trot off very peaceably.

The donkey, too, had a way of putting his nose to the ground, and
pitching his rider, head over heels, on the grass. But the boys were
used to that too, and did not mind it in the least. They would jump up
and shake themselves, and try again, and by dint of poking and punching
the sides of the sulky little animal, he would after a while make up his
mind to go. When he had once done _that_, it was all right. You would
think he was the most amiable donkey in the world. The pony's name was
"Napoleon," and the boys called the donkey "Old Pudding-head."

Twice a-week during the summer, Mr. Harrison took the boys to bathe in a
fine pond, where such as could would swim, and the rest would tumble
about in the water; and altogether he was so kind to them that the boys
thought ther