, Miss Bunny asked--" began John very nervously.

"Yes, papa, I--it was all my fault," interrupted the little girl;
"don't scold John. I wanted to show Mervyn that I could ride better
than he does, and as I could not do so properly with John holding me
by the rein, I begged him to let me go, and I promised to ride
quietly; but I whipped Frisk, and he ran off so fast that I got
frightened, and--"

"It was very wrong of you, John, to allow the child to ride without
a rein, and I am really angry and vexed that you should not have
taken more care of her when she was left in your charge."

"Indeed, sir, I am very sorry, and it shall never happen again,"
said John.

"I hope not," said Mr. Dashwood; "and as for you, Bunny, I am very
much surprised that you should have been so naughty. You know I
told you you could not manage Frisk without a leading rein."

"Yes, I know you did, dear papa," said Bunny, as she rubbed her
little face up and down against her father's cheek, "but don't scold
us any more. We are all very sorry, aren't we, John?"

"Very, Miss," answered the groom; "I'd rather have died than let any
harm come to you, an' I hope master will forgive me for lettin' you
have your own way about the rein."

"I forgive you this time, John," said Mr. Dashwood; "but remember
for the future you are to keep Miss Bunny well to your side when you
take her out to ride on her pony."

"Yes, sir, surely I will," answered the man earnestly; "I will never
do what Miss Bunny asks me to do again, never while I live."

"And now, my dear fellow," said Mr. Dashwood, turning to the young
stranger and shaking him once more by the hand, "I cannot tell you
how grateful I feel to you. May I be permitted to ask your name?"

"My name is Francis Collins; but indeed I did not do much," the boy
answered modestly.

"You have done me a very great service, Master Francis, and one that
I can never repay you," said Mr. Dashwood earnestly. "Do you live
anywhere about here?"

"No, sir; I live in London," replied the lad; "my father is in India
with his regiment, and I am staying up here for a time with my
aunt."

"Is your father a captain? and is he in India now?" asked Mervyn
shyly.

"Yes, little man," answered young Collins with a smile, "he is a
captain in the 45th, and is now stationed at Jublepoore."

"Why, Captain Collins is papa's great friend, and of course he was
my friend too; and Mrs. Collins was so good and kind to me. Oh, I