see by the children's faces that something very interesting is
going on--"

"Oh, Papa!" interrupted Betty. "Why, it's only the English dates!"

"Well, what can be more interesting?" But as nobody answered he
continued: "However, I haven't time to discuss the delights of your
various studies, I must leave that to you and Miss Thompson to settle
between you. All I want to say at present is, that you children must
really be careful and not get me into trouble with my neighbours. I
have just had a letter brought by Mrs. Howard's servant making
complaints. Now mind, I can't have any more of this trespassing on--"

"We didn't step on Mrs. Howard's ground! Not one single inch!"
interrupted Madge.

"I didn't ever suppose that you did, considering the height of the wall
you would be obliged to climb over to get there!" said Captain West.
"But there has been a trespasser on her land all the same, and I hold
you partly responsible for him."

"Is it Jack?" gasped Madge. "What has she done with him? Oh, please
tell me!"

"Why, sent him back, to be sure, with a polite note requesting me to
keep him under better control," answered Captain West. "It seems that
he got over the wall into her field somehow, and they shut him up for a
time. But he got loose before long, as usual, and in chasing him about
the garden some boy broke a cucumber-frame, and poor Jack got all the
blame for that as well as for destroying a row of early peas. So he
was sent back in sad disgrace."

"Did Mrs. Howard try to kill him?" asked John solemnly.

"Kill him? No!" laughed Captain West. "Did you think she wanted roast
kid for dinner? But how did he manage to jump over such a high wall, I
wonder? I suppose he did it while you were in the fields with him, as
you seem to know all about it?"

"He jerked the string out of my hand and went off with it," said Madge.

"And jumped the wall, I suppose?" added her father. "Well, it's a
tremendous height even for a goat, but one never can tell how high they
will go. However, I mustn't interrupt you any more at lesson-time."

"This will teach Jack to look before he leaps," said Betty softly as
the door shut behind her father. She always enjoyed having the last
word, especially if she could twist it into a proverb.

The children were much relieved at this happy conclusion to their
anxiety; but their delight was somewhat lessened when Captain West made
a rule that Jack and Jill were never to be