e pet," and patted its back.

"Why, the creature seems quite fond of you, my child," said Mrs
Sudberry.

"So it is, mamma. It loves me, I know, by the way it looks at me with
its beautiful black eye. What a pity the other is not so nice! I think
the poor darling must be blind of that eye."

There was no doubt about that. Blackie's right eye was blinder than any
bat's; it was an opaque white ball--a circumstance which caused it no
little annoyance, for the other eye had to do duty for both, and this
involved constant screwing of the head about, and unwearied
watchfulness. It was as if a solitary sentinel were placed to guard the
front and back doors of a house at one and the same time. Despite
Blackie's utmost care, Jacky got on her blind side more than once, and
caught her by the remnant of her poor tail. This used to spoil Tilly's
morning amusement, and send her sorrowful into the house. But what did
that matter to Jacky? He sometimes broke out worse than usual, and set
the whole brood into an agitated flutter, which rather damaged the
happiness of the family. But what did that matter to Jacky?

Oh! he was a "darling child," _according to his mother_.

For some time the feeding went on quietly enough. The fowls were
confiding. Mr Sudberry was becoming immensely philosophical; Mrs
Sudberry was looking on in amiable gratification; George had prevailed
on a small white hen to allow him to scratch her head; Fred was taking a
rapid portrait of the smallest cock; Lucy had drawn the largest
concourse towards herself by scattering her crumbs on the ground; Jacky
had only caught two chickens by their beaks and one hen by its tail, and
was partially strangling another; and the nine McAllister dogs were
ranged in a semicircle round the group, looking on benignantly, and
evidently inclined to put in for a share, but restrained by the memory
of past rebuffs--when little Blackie, standing on Tilly's knee, and
having eaten a large share of what was going, raised itself to its full
height, flapped its wings, and gave utterance to a cackle of triumph! A
burst of laughter followed--and Tilly gave a shriek of delighted
surprise that at once dissolved the spell, and induced the horrified
fowl to seek refuge in precipitate flight.

"By the way," said Mrs Sudberry, "that reminds me that this would be a
most charming day for your excursion over the mountains to that Lake
What-you-may-call-it."

What connection there was