dent, Amy.
That child is dreadful. He doesn't mind Marilla when he is out of our
sight, hardly when he is in it. And I don't know what the babies would
do without her."

They began to cry now. They always cried together and lustily.

"Where's Jack?" asked his mother.

"He ran down the street."

"Don't worry about Jack, Marilla; you go down and get the babies'
bread and milk ready."

Marilla went and of course told the mishap to Bridget.

"That young'un 'll get in prison some day; you see! He's a rascal
through and through, a mean dirty spalpeen, a holy terror! And if they
set to blaming you, I'll threaten to leave; that I will."

"You don't think they'll send me back to Bethany Home?" in a
distressed tone.

"They'd be big fools to! I don't know where they'd get another like
you. If that Jack was mine, I'd skin him alive and hang him out bare
naked, the mean little thief! And the missus knows he's bad through
and through."

Marilla took the basin of dinner upstairs. The babies had hushed their
crying and gave a sort of joyous howl at the sight. Florence had
talked her sister-in-law into a more reasonable view of the case. Then
the babies were fed and comforted and sat on the blanket with
playthings about them. They could climb up a little by chairs, but
they were too heavy for much activity.

Mrs. Borden picked up her slipper and went down stairs, opening the
front door. Jack was slowly sauntering back and she beckoned to him.
He had begun to think it was feeding time as well as the babies.

"I was gone, to put 'em back--" he began--

She took off his pretty coat and then she did spank him for good.
Meanwhile the bell rang for lunch. She put him on a chair in the end
of the parlor and said--

"Now you sit there. If you dare to get up you'll get some more. And
all the lunch you can have will be a piece of bread without any
butter." And she left the door open so she could see if he ventured
down.

But after the bread he went up stairs and straight to Marilla.

"You old tell tale! You'll be rid on a rail and dumped in the river,"
and he kicked at her.

"The man sent a note----"

"Jack," interposed his mother sternly.

Then the babies were bundled up and carried down stairs, well wrapped
up for their ride. Manila enjoyed the outing when she didn't have
Jack. She went down again by the stores. There were two she delighted
in, book and stationery stores. One window was full of magazines and
papers, an