, and be allowed twelve roasted chestnuts apiece, which they were
under bonds not to eat till next day.

Tea was despatched rapidly, therefore, and the party gathered round the
wide hearth in the dining-room, where the nuts were soon dancing gaily
on hot shovels or bouncing out among the company, thereby causing
delightful panics among the little ones.

"Come, Rosy, tell us a story while we work, for you can't help much,
and must amuse us as your share," proposed Mac, who sat in the shade
pricking nuts, and who knew by experience what a capital little
Scheherazade his cousin was.

"Yes, we poor monkeys can't burn our paws for nothing, so tell away,
Pussy," added Charlie, as he threw several hot nuts into her lap and
shook his fingers afterwards.

"Well, I happen to have a little story with a moral to it in my mind,
and I will tell it, though it is intended for younger children than
you," answered Rose, who was rather fond of telling instructive tales.

"Fire away," said Geordie, and she obeyed, little thinking what a
disastrous story it would prove to herself.

"Well, once upon a time, a little girl went to see a young lady who was
very fond of her. Now, the young lady happened to be lame, and had
to have her foot bandaged up every day; so she kept a basketful of
bandages, all nicely rolled and ready. The little girl liked to play
with this basket, and one day, when she thought no one saw her, she took
one of the rolls without asking leave, and put it in her pocket."

Here Pokey, who had been peering lovingly down at the five warm nuts
that lay at the bottom of her tiny pocket, suddenly looked up and said,
"Oh!" in a startled tone, as if the moral tale had become intensely
interesting all at once.

Rose heard and saw the innocent betrayal of the small sinner, and went
on in a most impressive manner, while the boys nudged one another and
winked as they caught the joke.

"But an eye did see this naughty little girl, and whose eye do you think
it was?"

"Eye of Dod," murmured conscience-stricken Pokey, spreading two chubby
little hands before the round face, which they were not half big enough
to hide.

Rose was rather taken aback by this reply, but, feeling that she was
producing a good effect, she added seriously,

"Yes, God saw her, and so did the young lady, but she did not say
anything; she waited to see what the little girl would do about it. She
had been very happy before she took the bandage, but whe