was pleased to think necessary; so she sallied forth
with them, followed by Betty, and proceeded towards the country, taking
the sunny side of the road, and raising clouds of dust at every step,
till Harry and Laura felt as if they had been made of wax, and were
melting away.

"Mrs. Crabtree!" said Harry, "did you hear uncle David's funny story
yesterday? One hot morning a gentleman was watching an ant's nest, when
he observed, that every little insect, as it came out, plucked a small
leaf, to hold over its head, as a parasol! I wish we could find leaves
large enough for us."

"You must go to the Botanical Gardens, where one leaf of a palm-tree was
shown to grandmama, which measured fourteen feet long," observed Laura.
"How horrid these very warm countries must be, where the heat is all the
year round like this!"

"You may well say that," answered Mrs. Crabtree. "I would not go to them
East Indies--no! not if I were Governess-General,--to be running away
with a tiger at your back, and sleeping with real live serpents twisted
round the bed-post, and scorpions under your pillow! Catch me there! I'm
often quite sorry for Master Frank, to think that his ship is maybe
going that way! I'm told the very rats have such a smell in that
outlandish place, that if they touch the outside of a bottle with their
tails, it tastes of musk ever after; and when people are sitting
comfortably down, expecting to enjoy their dinner, a swarm of great ants
will come, and fall, an inch thick, on all the side-dishes. I've no
desire whatever to see foreign parts!"

"But I wish to see every country in the universe," said Harry; "and I
hope there will be a rail-road all round the world before I am grown up.
Only think, Mrs. Crabtree, what fun lion-hunting must be, and catching
dolphins, and riding on elephants."

The pedestrians had now arrived at the pretty village of Corstorphine,
when they were unexpectedly met by Peter Grey, who joined them without
waiting to ask leave. Here the hills are so beautifully wooded, and the
villas so charming, that Harry, Peter, and Laura stopped a moment, to
consider what house they would like best to live in. Near one side of
the road stood a large cart of hay, on the top of which were several
men, forking it in at the window of a high loft, which could only be
entered by a long ladder that leaned against the wall. It was a busy
joyous scene, and soon attracted the children's whole attention, who
were trans