pt during the four
accidental days already referred to.

At first Mrs Sudberry triumphed; but long before that season was over
she had reached such a condition of humility that she would have
actually rejoiced in a fine day.

As for the rest of the family, they bore up against it bravely for a
time. On the first day of this wet season, they were rather pleased
than otherwise to be obliged to stay in the house. Jacky, in
particular, was delighted, as it afforded him a glorious opportunity of
doing mischief, and making himself so disagreeable, that all, except his
mother, felt as if they hated him. On the second day, indoor games of
various kinds were proposed and entered into with much spirit. On the
third day the games were tried again, with less spirit. On the fourth
day they were played without any spirit at all, and on the fifth they
were given up in disgust. The sixth day was devoted to reading and
sulking, and thus they ended that week.

The seventh day, which chanced to be Sunday, was one of the four fine
days before mentioned. The sky was blue, the sun intensely bright, and
the inundated earth was steaming. The elastic spirits of the family
recovered.

"Come, we'll walk to church!" cried Mr Sudberry, as they rose from
breakfast.

"What, my dear!" exclaimed his wife, "and the roads knee-deep in mud and
water!"

"I care not if they were waist-deep!" cried the reckless man: "I've been
glued to my seat for a week; so I'll walk to church, if I should have to
swim for it."

"So will I! so will I!" from George and Fred; "So will we all!" from
Lucy; "And me, too!" timidly, from Tilly; with "Hurrah!" furiously from
the imp,--this decided the business.

"Very well!" said the resigned mother of the flock; "then I will go
too!"

So away they went to church, through mud and mire and water, with the
nine collie dogs at their heels, and Mr McAllister bearing them
company.

Fred and McAllister walked together in rear of the rest, conversing
earnestly, for the latter was learned in theology, and the former dearly
loved a philosophical discussion. Mr Sudberry and Lucy walked in
advance. As he approached the well-known bush, the force of habit
induced him almost unconsciously to pick up a stone and walk on tip-toe.
Lucy, who did not know the cause of this strange action, looked at her
father in surprise.

Whirr! went a black-cock; bang! went the stone, and a yell instantly
followed, accompanied by a hat--