nd it was now some consolation that she did not
come in mine.

But it was a dull day. In due time the gardener's wife called, and gave
me my breakfast, setting it down outside the kitchen door. It was a
comfortable breakfast, for she was a good-natured woman, not likely to
neglect Lily's charge to take care of me. I wagged my tail, and looked
up in her face to thank her, but she was already gone without taking
farther notice of me. She had done her work of giving me the necessaries
of life, and my feelings were nothing to her. How I remembered my pretty
Lily, and wished for her pleasant welcome.

After breakfast I went on an expedition to the flower-garden, thinking I
might have a chance of finding some trace of my mistress in that
favourite haunt. The gate was shut, but I heard steps, and scratched to
be let in. I scratched and whined for some time; Lily would not have
kept me half so long. At last the gardener looked over the top of the
gate:

"Oh, it's you," said he; "I thought so. But you had best go and amuse
yourself in places proper for you; you are not coming to walk over my
flowerbeds any more."

He did not speak unkindly, and I had often heard him tell Lily that I
was "best out of the flower-garden;" so I could not reasonably grumble;
but his speech showed the change in my position, and I walked away from
the closed gate with my mind much oppressed, and my tail between my
legs.

I intended to go and meditate in the boat, but here again I was
disappointed; the boat-house was locked; I had no resource but to jump
into the water and swim to a little island in which Lily had a favourite
arbour. There in a summer's day she often rested, hidden in jessamine
and honeysuckle; and there I now took refuge, attracted to the spot by
its strong association with herself.

I scarcely know whether I sought the arbour with the hope of finding her
present, or the intention of mourning her absent; but I went to think
about her. Alas! that was all I could do. She was not there. A book of
hers had been left unheeded on the ground, and I laid down and placed my
paws upon it to guard it, as I had often done before. In this position I
fell asleep, and remained unconscious of fortunes or misfortunes, till I
was awakened by dreaming of dinner. _That_ dream could be realised. I
jumped up, shook myself, and yawned more comfortably than I had done all
day.

On moving my paws from Lily's book, it struck me that it would be right