there also, and he might see him, and tell his father. He therefore
kept at a distance, behind a hedge, not daring to advance any farther.

"Supposing I read this book!" said he, at last, after having vainly
racked his brain to find out how he could be at the fete without
being discovered. "There is nothing in it but nonsense, I know
beforehand; however, it will occupy me for a while."

This tract was called "The Happy Family," and Mark became so much
interested in it, that he not only read the whole, but many parts of
it twice over.

"How odd it is," said he, when he had finished reading; "I should
never have thought it could be thus; this Andrew and Julia, after
all, were much happier than we are, and than I am, in particular.
Ah!" added he, as he walked on by the hedge-side, looking on the
ground, "possibly Josephine may have spoken the truth, and that,
after all, the right way is the one which this lady points out."

As he thought over the little story he had been reading, he retraced
his steps towards his own village, at first rather slowly, but soon
at a quicker pace, and he entered his father's house very quietly,
and without either whistling or making a noise, as he generally did.

"You have not then been to the fete," said Josephine.

_Mark_.--(A little ashamed.)--"I dared not go, I was afraid my
father would beat me."

_Josephine_.--"It would have been better, Mark, if you had been