his sisters, and
was, as he would himself have said, "quite even with them." After a
little while, James, at the whisper of his mother, cried, "Nonsense,
nonsense! no more of this;" and taking Tom by the arm, lugged him out
of the room by main force; whilst the youngster struggled and tugged
and caught at everything as he was forced along, the noise continuing
till the two brothers were fairly out of the house.

[Illustration: "_The noise continued till the two brothers were fairly
out of the house._"--Page 230.]

Mrs. Burke then turned to Henry; and thinking, perhaps, that some
excuse for her boy's behaviour was necessary, she said:

"It is all play, Master Fairchild. Tom is a good boy, but he loves a
little harmless mischief; he has no more notion of going down to the
river than I have."

"La, mother," said Miss Judy, "that is what you always say, though you
know the contrary; Tom is the very rudest boy in the whole country, and
known to be so."

"Come with me, Master Fairchild," said William, in a low voice to
Henry, "come with me. Now Judy is got on her hobby-horse, she will take
a long ride."

"What is my hobby-horse, Master William?" said Judy sharply.

"Abusing your brothers, Miss Judy," replied William.

She set up her lip and turned away, as if she did not think it worth
while to answer him, for he was younger than herself; but the next
sister took up the battle, and said something so sharp and tart, that
even William, the quietest of the family, gave her a very rude and
cutting answer. Henry did not understand what he said, but he was not
sorry when Mrs. Burke told him that he had better go out with William
and see what was to be seen.

William led Henry right through the kitchen and court into the
fold-yard: it was a very large yard, surrounded on three sides by
buildings, stables, and store-houses, and cattle-sheds and stalls. In
the midst of it was a quantity of manure, all wet and sloppy, and upon
the very top of this heap stood that charming boy, Master Tom, with his
shoes and stockings all covered with mire.

On one side of the yard stood James, talking to a boy in a labourer's
frock. These last were very busy with their own talk, and paid no
heed to Tom, who kept calling to them.

"You said," he cried, "that I could not get here--and here I am, do you
see, safe and sound?"

"And I do not care how long you stay there," at length answered the
eldest brother; "we should be free from one pl