"Poor little girl!" said her mother, "but Miss Kerr was quite right
not to let you go, Bunny; Frank will have quite enough to do to
manage Mervyn. You are very hard to keep in order, for you are very
wild and--"

"Oh! I'm not a bit wild now, mama; I'm as quiet as a lamb--I am
indeed."

"Bunny, Bunny, where are you, I say?--where are you?" called Mervyn,
running up the garden walk and across the lawn.

"Here I am, Mervyn, and oh! I am so glad you have come back," and
the little girl rushed forward eagerly to meet her cousin. "But
where is Frank? I thought he was coming back with you."

"Yes, so he is. He will be here in a minute; and he has something
for you, Bunny."

"Something for me, Mervyn; oh! what is it?" she cried; "do tell me
what it is."

"He'll tell you himself--he'll tell you himself," answered Mervyn,
and going down on the grass, he tumbled heels over head two or three
times in succession.

"You tiresome boy," cried his cousin, "do get up and tell me what
Frank has for me, and where he got it, and--"

"Go and ask Frank himself--there he is," shouted Mervyn, starting
quickly to his feet again, as young Collins appeared suddenly at the
top of the flight of steps that led from the drawing-room into the
garden. His hands were both behind his back, and he laughed merrily
when he saw Bunny's face of excitement and curiosity as she ran
across the lawn to meet him.

"You dear good Frank, Mervyn says you have something for me," she
cried; "do tell me what it is. I do so want to know."

"A bird, Bunny; a young thrush," said Frank gaily, as he drew a
small cage from behind his back and held it up to the little girl.
"I put him in here because it was the only thing I could find; but I
will get you a proper big cage for him to-morrow."

"Oh! never mind the cage; but let me see the bird," cried Bunny.

"He is rather frightened just now, Bun, but I think he will soon sit
up and begin to sing; and thrushes do sing beautifully."

"He is a dear little fellow! a perfect darling! But where did you
get him, Frank?" asked Bunny in delight, as she danced joyfully
round her new treasure. "Did you manage to put salt on his tail?"

"He hasn't got a tail, Bunny," answered Frank, laughing; "he is so
young that he hasn't got one yet. I caught him quite easily in the
hotel garden."

"Mama, Miss Kerr, look at the lovely bird Frank has brought me,"
cried Bunny, running back to her mother's chair.

"A bird, Frank?" sai