carriages that chanced to come by, and had lately seen all the young
gentlemen of Ragglesford going home for the summer holidays, making
such a whooping and hurrahing, that the place rang again; and beyond,
there were beautiful green meadows, with a straight path through
them, leading to a stile; and beyond that, woods rose up, and there
was a little glimpse of a stately white house peeping through them.
Hay-making was going on merrily in the field, under the bright summer
sun, and the air was full of the sweet smell of the grass, but there
was something sultry and oppressive to the poor boy's feelings; and
when he remembered how Farmer Shepherd had called him to lend a hand
last year, and how happy he had been tossing the hay, and loading the
waggon, a sad sick feeling crept over him; and so it was that the
tears rose in his eyes, and he made his sister lay him back on the
pillow, for he did not wish to see any more.

Ellen worked and thought, and wanted to entertain him, but could not
think how. Presently she burst out, however, 'Oh, Alfred! there's
Harold coming running back! There he is, jumping over that hay-cock-
-not touched the ground once--another--oh! there's Farmer Shepherd
coming after him!'

'Hold your tongue,' muttered Alfred moodily, as if each of her words
gave him unbearable pain; and he hid his face in the pillow.

Ellen kept silence for ten minutes, and then broke forth again, 'Now
then, Alfred, you WILL be glad! There's Miss Jane getting over the
stile.'

'I don't want Miss Jane,' grumbled Alfred; and as Ellen sprang up and
began smoothing his coverings, collecting her scraps, and tidying the