if I can, I
will give it to you, or ask mamma to help me." The boy not being
troubled with bashfulness, immediately said, that of all things he
should like a regular rigged boat, a ship, "a little-un" that would
swim. The girl put her finger in her mouth and said "she didn't know."
"Are you going to have a boat?" said every little voice, "oh, what fun
we shall have." "Yes," said our peace-making friend, Sarah. "You know
that if Dick gets any thing it is the same as if you all did. He is such
a kind boy, Miss, he plays with the little ones, and gives up to them
so nicely, you'd be surprised."

"I am glad of that," said Emilie, "it will be such a pleasure to Miss
Edith to give pleasure to them all--but come, Jenny, you have not fixed
yet what you will have." Jenny said she did not want to be paid, but she
had thought, perhaps Miss Parker might give them something, and if Miss
Parker did not think it too much, she should like a shilling better than
any thing.

Every one looked inquiringly, except Sarah. Sarah was but the uneducated
daughter of a poor fisherman, but she studied human nature as it lay
before her in the different characters of her brothers and sisters, and
she guessed the workings of Jenny's mind.

"What do you want a shilling for?" said the mother sharply, who had
joined the group. "You ought not to have asked for anything, what bad
manners you have! The weeds cost you nothing, and you ought to be much
obliged to Miss Parker for accepting them."

"I wanted the shilling very much," persisted Jenny, as Edith pressed it
into her hand, and off she ran, as though to hide her treasure.

But Edith had caught sight of something, and forgot shilling and every
thing else in that glimpse. Her own dear old Muff sleeping on the hearth
of the kitchen which she had not yet entered. I shall not tell you all
the endearments she used to puss, they would look ridiculous on paper;
they made even those who heard them smile, but she was so overjoyed that
there was some excuse for her. Mrs. Murray rather damped her joy at once
by saying, "Oh, she's a sad thief, Miss. She steals the fish terribly. I
suppose you can't take her back, Miss?"

"Ah, Joe," said Edith sorrowfully, "you see, you had better have drowned
her."

"So I think," said Mrs. Murray.

"No, no, no," cried Jane, coming forwards. "I have a shilling now, and
Barker the carrier will take her for that all the way to Southampton,
where aunt Martha lives, and aun