fine things. Mamma was saying so to Cyril when he was
telling us about it.'

'This is my favourite little bantam, Mollie,' interposed Audrey; and
then Mollie gave herself up to enjoyment, there were so many things to
see. Mollie wondered and exclaimed and admired, with flushed cheeks and
sparkling eyes, until Audrey told herself the child was positively
pretty.

At last they found themselves by the tiny lake, with their hands full of
bread for Snowflake and Eiderdown, while a little troop of rare foreign
ducks hung somewhat timidly in the rear. Presently, to Mollie's intense
delight, they got into the canoe, and Audrey, with much gravity,
commenced their voyage.

'For you may laugh, Mollie,' she said severely, 'but you have no idea of
the extent of the place. This island is called "The Swans' Nest." We
need not land, because we can see it perfectly from the canoe; but you
may perhaps notice a small wooden building somewhere in the recesses of
the island.'

'Oh yes, I see it perfectly,' returned Mollie, with the utmost candour.
'I could almost cover the island with my pocket-handkerchief; but, of
course, it is very pretty.'

Audrey gave her a withering glance.

'We will go on a little farther. You have a capital view of Woodcote
now; the house is in fine perspective. There is Michael's Bench, so
called after my cousin, Captain Burnett; and this, Mollie'--pointing to
a pretty little thicket of trees and shrubs reaching down to the
water--'is Deep-water Chine. With your permission, we will rest here a
moment.'

'Have we got to the end of our voyage?' laughed Mollie. 'Oh dear, Miss
Ross, how droll you are this afternoon! But it is pretty--sweetly
pretty; and how lovely those swans are! How happy you must be to live in
such a dear place!'

'I am very fond of it,' returned Audrey dreamily. 'Listen to those
birds; father is so fond of them. You cannot admire the place more than
I do, Mollie. To me Woodcote is the finest place in the world; it would
be dreadful to leave it.'

'Why should you ever leave it, Miss Ross?'

'Why, indeed?' with an amused curl of her lip. 'I don't suppose I ever
shall leave it, Mollie.'

'Not unless you married,' replied Mollie, in a serious voice. 'People
are obliged to go away when they are married, are they not? But perhaps
you will have as grand a place of your own.'

'I have half made up my mind that I will be an old maid,' returned
Audrey lazily. 'Old maids lead such nice, usefu