r next morning betimes, and Mr. and Mrs.
Mortimer got into it, and Marten and Reuben stood in the coach drive to
hold the gate open for the carriage to pass through; and the great dog
Nero stood by them very much excited, not knowing whether to go with the
carriage or to stay with the boys.

"Be sure you see Nero has a run every day, Marten," said Mr. Mortimer,
as the carriage passed through the gate--"that dog wants plenty of
exercise."

"Oh! don't fear, papa, I shall not forget him," replied Marten, running
a step or two after the carriage; "and mamma, I will attend to your
doves--you had forgotten to speak about them, had you not, mamma? I will
remember them and Nero too, papa, and Reuben also. Yes, I will attend to
all--I shall have plenty of time for all. Have you anything more you
wish done, papa?" and Marten was obliged to stop speaking, as the
carriage was now going on rapidly, and he found he could not talk and
keep up with it at the same time.

"No, no, Marten," replied Mr. Mortimer laughing--"No, no, my boy--you
have got more on your hands now than will suffice you: so off with you
home, and take care that when we return we do not find the doves flown,
Nero lost, or Reuben with black eye or bruised leg, and yourself in some
unlucky plight, my boy. Now go home, and God bless and watch over you,
my sons. We hope it will not be long before we return," and he waved his
hand to bid good bye. Marten had run himself out of breath, so he was
not able to answer his father, and he was not sorry to stand still an
instant or two to watch the carriage out of sight, and give time for
Reuben to overtake him, for the child could not keep up with his
brother's quick running. And even now Marten might have read this
lesson, had he been wise enough so to do that already, he had been led
away by temptation to forget his brother, and that though he had done
so, Nero had been more faithful than himself; for Nero, though he could
have outran Marten, yet would not forsake the child, but restrained his
impatience that he might keep near the little one, who ever needed a
protector by his side, for the child was young, and his mother had
perhaps reared him too delicately.

Reuben had never before been separated from his mamma, and he was half
inclined to cry, and perhaps fret at her absence; but Marten, who was a
very kind brother, and really loved the child tenderly, contrived so to
divert his attention that he soon forgot his tro