"The pheasant in the falcon's claw,

He scarce will yield, to please a daw."--SCOTT.

Early in the afternoon of a warm October day, the brothers arrived at

Avomnouth, and ten minutes after both were upon the lawn at Myrtlewood,

where croquet was still in progress. Shouts of delight greeted the

Colonel, and very gracefully did Bessie Keith come to meet him, with the

frank confiding sweetness befitting his recent ward, the daughter of his

friend. A reassuring smile and monosyllable had scarcely time to pass

between him and the governess before a flood of tidings was poured

on him by the four elder boys, while their mother was obliged to be

mannerly, and to pace leisurely along with the elder guest, and poor Mr.

Touchett waited a little aloof, hammering his own boot with his mallet,

as if he found the enchanted ground failing him. But the boys had no

notion of losing their game, and vociferated an inquiry whether the

Colonel knew croquet. Yes, he had several times played with his cousins

in Scotland. "Then," insisted Conrade, "he must take mamma's place,

whilst she was being devoured, and how surprised she would be at being

so helped on!"

"Not now, not to-day," he answered. "I may go to your sister, Ailie?

Yes, boys, you must close up your ranks without me."

"Then please," entreated Hubert, "take him away," pointing to the

engrosser of their mother.

"Do you find elder brothers so easily disposed of, Hubert?" said the

Colonel. "Do you take Conrade away when you please?"

"I should punch him," returned Francis.

"He knows better," quoth Conrade in the same breath, both with infinite

contempt for Hubert.

"And I know better," returned Colonel Keith; "never mind, boys, I'll

come back in--in reasonable time to carry him off," and he waved a gay

farewell.

"Surely you wish to go too," said Bessie to Alison, "if only to relieve

them of the little girl! I'll take care of the boys. Pray go."

"Thank you," said Alison, surprised at her knowledge of the state of

things, "but they are quite hardened to Rose's presence, and I think

would rather miss her."

And in fact Alison did not feel at all sure that, when stimulated by

Bessie's appreciation of their mischief, her flock might not in her

absence do something that might put their mother in despair, and make

their character for naughtiness irretrievable; so Leoline and Hubert

were summoned, the one from speculations whether Lord Keith would have

punched his brother, the other from amaze that there was anything our

military secretary could not do, and Conrade and Francis were arrested

in the midst of a significant contraction of the nostrils and opening

of the mouth, which would have exploded in an "eehaw" but for Bessie's

valiant undertaking to be herself and Lady Temple both at once.




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