't any bears, or lions, or tigers, or elephants in this
country? If we were in a lonely part of Africa, we might see some; but
there's only rabbits and squirrels and perhaps wild cats in Copsley
Wood.--Isn't she a silly, Auntie Alice?"

"I'm not a silly!" said Joan stoutly.--"Sure I isn't, Auntie Alice?"

"No, child; and you are quite right to be shy of the wood," answered her
aunt gravely. "And now, if you want to go to the farm to-day, you had
better be off. I think I hear Aunt Catharine coming!"

Her caution came too late, however, for in another instant Aunt
Catharine was upon them.

"What is it now?" she demanded, glancing from one to another of the
guilty-looking group.--"What are you doing with that basket, Darby?"

"I--we--Joan and me were going up to the farm to see Mrs. Grey,"
faltered Darby. "And please, please, Aunt Catharine, don't say we aren't
to get!"

"We's goin' to bring your Cochin eggs," added Joan sweetly.

"I hope you won't mind, sister," struck in Auntie Alice, in her soft,
timid voice, "but I gave them leave to go. And I thought they might as
well fetch the eggs when they are coming back."

"Alice Turner! when do you mean to grow up?" exclaimed Aunt Catharine,
in withering accents. "Is it that boy you expect to carry a basket of
eggs? Those fidgets! Why, they'll leave the half of them on the road or
sit on them by the way!"

"We willn't sit on them," said Joan stoutly. "Jetty shall sit on them,
and they'll turn into dear, soft, fluffy chickens! Willn't they, Aunt
Catharine?"

Aunt Catharine did not answer directly, but she looked as if she did
not feel quite so sure of results as Joan.

"We'll be very, very careful, indeed!" promised Darby earnestly; and
Joan echoed likewise, "Werry, werry careful!"

"Well, well; since your Auntie Alice has already given permission, I
shall not prevent you, and I must admit I am in a hurry for the eggs.
Jetty is making a terrible to-do over a solitary china one in her nest.
But if they are broken or shaken--"

There Aunt Catharine paused; yet her listeners perfectly understood what
she did not say.

"And remember, children, what has been so often said to you about
Copsley Wood. You are not to go there on any pretext whatever! Do you
understand?"

"Yes, Aunt Catharine; and we've promised Auntie Alice already," replied
Darby meekly.

"Very well; see that you keep your promise, my boy. You always say that
you forgot when you have been disobedien