em a little they made a terrible
protest. Here they were fourteen months old and couldn't walk yet,
but they were beginning to say little words under their nurse's steady
training.

Aunt Hetty made light of her attack and was soon about as usual, but
she did not take long walks and laid on the lounge a good deal. "Folks
can't stay young forever," she said, "and I'm getting to be quite an
old lady."

Then they began to plan for a summering.

Last year they had not gone anywhere. Advertisements were answered,
and Florence visited several places. They would take Marilla of
course, she was coming to have a thin, worn look. Aunt Hetty would
visit a grand niece, who had been begging her to come. Bridget would
stay in the house, she had no fancy for cantering about. Mrs. Borden
would live at home through the week and rejoin them on Saturday
afternoons. They must get off soon after school closed. There was no
end of sewing. Some pretty skirts were altered over for Marilla, as
there was enough for full dresses in them.

The place was on Long Island, a country house with only two other
boarders. It was barely a quarter of a mile from the seashore, with a
great orchard and grass all about, shady places for hammocks and
numerous conveniences, besides moderate board.

Jack had not been an angel all the time. Some days he wouldn't study.
Then he had two fights with boys. He threw stones at cats--sometimes
dogs, and broke two or three windows which he didn't set out to do. He
was getting tired of school and the weather was warm.

So one afternoon he thought he would take a walk instead. He would go
out to the park where they went on Sundays. It was so warm in school.
He was getting quite tired of the confinement.

He found a group of children and played with them awhile. Then they
ran off home and he rambled on and on until he came to a street up a
few steps. A wagon was standing there and two little boys were hanging
on behind.

"Come on, its real fun," sang out one of them. "You get a good ride."

Jack thought it would be. They showed him how to hold on. The driver
had been busy with an account book and now he touched up the horses.
"Hanging on" wasn't so easy Jack found, and you had to swing your legs
underneath. The man paused again at a saloon and he dropped off; his
hands were very tired. The man went in the place and when he came out
one of the boys said--

"Hi! Mister, won't you give us a ride?"

The man laughed