her uncle impatiently.

"I have--I have broken something else."

There was silence. Then Sir Edward asked drily,--

"And what is it now?"

"It's a--a flower-pot, that the gardener's boy left outside the
tool-house. I--I--well, I put it on Fritz's head for a hat, you know. He
did look so funny, but he tossed up his head and ran away, and it fell,
and it is smashed to bits. I have got the bits outside the door on the
mat. Shall I bring them in?"

A flower-pot was of such small value in Sir Edward's eyes that he almost
smiled at the child's distress.

"Well, well, you must learn not to touch the flower-pots in future. Now
run away, and do not disturb me again."

But Milly stood her ground.

"I think you have forgot, Uncle Edward. You told me that if I broke
anything again you would punish me '_most_ severely.' Those were the
words you said; don't you remember?"

Sir Edward pulled the ends of his moustache and fidgeted uneasily in his
chair. He always prided himself upon being a man of his word, but much
regretted at the present moment that he had been so rash in his speech.