irst rocket, I'm sure!" exclaimed Frank, dropping the
nut-crackers, "let us go off to a window somewhere, for I am sure
the fireworks are going to begin."

"How jolly!" cried Mervyn. "Aunt, may we run up to Miss Kerr's
room?"

"Can't we see them from here?" asked Mr. Dashwood, pulling up the
blind and looking out. "What a beautiful dark night it is! Better
stay here, chicks, I think. See, there goes another rocket!"

"Oh, that is lovely!" cried Bunny, clapping her hands. "But, papa,
dear, we can see them much better from Miss Kerr's room, she has
such a nice balcony, and she promised to let us go up to it if mama
would allow us."

"Very well, then, away you go," said her father; "but be quick, or
you will lose all the fun."

"Be sure and wrap yourselves up, dear children, if you go out into
the balcony," said Mrs. Dashwood. "The night air is very sharp."

"Oh, yes, mama, we will make ourselves as warm as toast," cried
Bunny gaily. "Come, Frank, do come up to the balcony with us."

"All right, little woman, jump upon my back and we'll run a race
with Mervyn."

Very much delighted at such an invitation, Bunny sprang from a chair
on to Frank's back, and away they went galloping madly after Mervyn,
up the stairs and along the passage to Miss Kerr's room. There they
found Sophie waiting for them, heavily laden with cloaks and shawls
in which she insisted on wrapping them up till they were nearly
smothered, and shrieked wildly for just one little space through
which they might manage to breathe.

"Very well, you will all catch your deaths of colds," cried Sophie.
"Miss Bunny, you will want the doctor to-morrow, I am quite sure;"
and she flounced out of the room and banged the door after her.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish!" cried Frank, laughing, as he
released poor Mervyn's face from the thick shawl in which the maid
had rolled him up. "She's an awful scold that Sophie."

"But she's jolly kind to us sometimes," said Mervyn stoutly; "and we
torment her dreadfully, don't we, Bunny?"

"Yes, we do indeed," answered the little girl; "and she doesn't
always scold, Master Frank."

"Goodness me! don't be so indignant," cried Frank. "I meant no
offence. I daresay Sophie is a regular angel."

"She's not quite that," said Miss Kerr as she opened the window and
let the young people out upon the balcony. "But I am glad to hear
the children stand up for her, for, as Mervyn says, they do torment
her, and still she is ver