s
Turner, and he guessed that probably the next scene in the drama would
be purely private. Well, the youngsters had unquestionably disobeyed
orders, and on their own showing. They must be punished, if by no other
means they could be taught obedience, which is the first if not the
chief lesson of life. Still, it was a pity, thought the big,
soft-hearted man; and the confiding eyes of the children followed him as
he sauntered up the hill, forgetting that he was in a hurry home. The
words that had floated from their pure lips through the gloom of the
pines rang in his ears, and as he went along he hummed softly to
himself, in his deep, bass voice,--

"Ever journeying onward,
Guided by a star."

"Aunt Catharine's real angry this time, and no mistake," Darby thought,
as in almost perfect silence she gave him and Joan their supper, then
helped Perry to undress, bath, and put them to bed. "She's sure to
punish us somehow to-morrow though she's saying nothing about it
to-night. Oh dear! if she would not look so cold and cross, but just
give me enough spanking for us both and get it over, I'd much rather."

But Aunt Catharine had decided not to administer any bodily chastisement
to her nephew's children, although she considered that a smart whipping
now and again was almost as necessary to the well-being of young people
as cooling medicine in the spring. She had talked the matter over with
Auntie Alice, who could not bear the idea of either Darby or Joan being
put to any avoidable pain. They had been very disobedient certainly, she
was obliged to admit, and must be taught somehow to do as they were
told--Darby especially, who should have been so much wiser than Joan.
She would herself have cheerfully borne the penalty of all their
misdemeanours if she could. That was impossible, however; but she
succeeded in impressing upon her sister that perhaps Captain Dene might
not like his motherless children to be subjected to such old-fashioned
discipline. Aunt Catharine, consequently, had laid her plans for a
different course of action.

Next morning Darby slept quite late--for him--being tired out from the
fatigue of the previous evening. He awoke refreshed and brisk, however,
and was about to spring out of bed and dress himself in readiness for
the fun, frolic, and mischief of a new day, when the nursery door was
thrown wide open, and Aunt Catharine sailed into the room, arrayed in
all the glory of a Paisley-pattern mo