ead."

"Do not be sure," said Joscelyn severely, "that you will get even
bread."

"I am in your hands," said Martin, "but please be kinder to the ducks."

Joscelyn, all of a fluster, then put new bread in the place of
Gillian's old; but her annoyance was turned to pleasure when she
discovered that the little round top of yesterday's loaf had entirely
disappeared.

"Upon my word!" cried she, "the cure is taking effect."

"I believe you are right," said Martin. "How sorry the ducks will be."

They quickly fed the ducks, and then themselves; and Martin received
his usual share, Joscelyn having so far relented that she even advised
him as to the best tree for apples in the whole orchard.

After breakfast Martin found six pair of eyes fixed so earnestly upon
him that he began to laugh.

"Why do you laugh?" asked little Joan.

"Because of my thoughts," said he. So she took a new penny from her
pocket and gave it to him.

"I was thinking," said Martin, "how strange it is that girls are all so
exactly alike."

"Oh!" cried six different voices in a single key of indignation.

"What a fib!" said Joyce. "I am like nobody but me."

"Nor am!" cried all the others in a breath.

"Yet a moment ago," said Martin, "you, Mistress Joyce, were wondering
with all your might what diversion I had hit upon for this morning. And
so were Jane and Jessica and Jennifer and Joan and Joscelyn."

"I was NOT!" cried six voices at once.

"What, none of you?" said Martin. "Did I not say so?"

And they were very provoked, not knowing what to answer for fear it
might be on the tip of her neighbor's tongue. So they said nothing at
all, and with one accord tossed their heads and turned their backs on
him. And Martin laughed, leaving them to guess why. On which, greatly
put out, every girl without even consulting one another they decided to
have nothing further to do with him, and each girl went and sat under a
different apple-tree and began to do her hair.

"Heigho!" said Martin. "Then this morning I must divert myself." And he
began to spin his golden penny in the sun, sometimes spinning it very
dexterously from his elbow and never letting it fall. But the girls
wouldn't look, or if they did, it was through stray bits of their hair;
when they could not be suspected of looking.

"I shall certainly lose this penny," communed Martin with himself,
quite audibly, "if somebody does not lend me a purse to keep it in."
But nobody offered him