by and me to go and talk to her whiles,"
explained Joan sagely, looking up at her aunt through the mop of golden
curls which shaded her big blue eyes.

"Is that the reason? Well, since you are going, you might just bring
those Cochin eggs with you that Mrs. Grey promised us. Your aunt
Catharine was speaking about them a little ago. Wait a minute, and I'll
hear what she says," and Auntie Alice made as if she would follow her
sister to the fowl-house.

"Oh, please don't!" cried Darby wildly, clutching with both hands at his
aunt's gown in order to stay her steps. "She'll be sure not to let us.
She'll ask if we've learned our Catechism, and send us to wash our hands
or change our clothes, or--or _something_. You know how she does, Auntie
Alice!"

Yes, Alice Turner knew her elder sister's little way very well indeed,
and because of this she yielded to Darby's importunity.

"Dear, dear, what a droll boy you are!" and by the way she spoke the
youngsters knew that they had won their way. "Off with you both, then,
quick! Take my white basket out of the breakfast-room, and see that you
carry the eggs carefully, or I'm afraid we shall all get into trouble."

"Which way shall we go?" asked Darby, gleefully swinging the basket
about his head. "May we go through the fields, Auntie Alice? The ground
is quite dry to-day, and the path is ever so much nicer than the road
past Copsley Wood."

"You may go through the fields, dear; but come back by the road. You
might break the eggs if you were to return the field way; there are so
many stiles to climb. And listen to me, chickabiddies," continued Auntie
Alice earnestly. "You must not on any account go into the wood; it is
not a safe place for children."

"Why?" demanded Darby in astonishment, for he had little or no fear of
any living thing--man or beast.

"I need not detain you now, dear, to explain further than to say that
there are sometimes rough people about who might think it rather funny
to behave rudely to unprotected little children."

"Don't you know there's bears in Copsley Wood, and lions and tigers and
effelants, and--and--oh, heaps of drefful fings!" explained Joan, as
glibly as if she had in person penetrated the many mysteries that--to
her infant mind--were hidden in the cool, dark depths of the old pine
wood.

"Nonsense!" and Darby smiled in scorn of his sister's ignorance.--"Do
you hear her, Auntie Alice?--Why, you little goose, don't you know that
there aren