of the
blue and white lily eggs, to get the advantage of Elsie's mischief by
bestowing _that_ upon Royal.

But Royal was quite out of Elsie's thoughts by Monday morning. It was a
beautiful morning; and by nine o'clock, when Tom and Jimmy Barrows
arrived, the lawn and sloping knoll at the east of it were bright and
dry with sunshine. On the piazza the various baskets of eggs were
standing; only "Jimmy Barrows's gift" had been set aside as "too good to
use."

"My! haven't you got a lot, though?" cried Tom, as he surveyed them.
"But what are these in the box here?"

"Yes, what are they?" sparkled Elsie. "Ask Jimmy Barrows."

Jimmy, with a wondering expression on his face at this remark, came over
and looked down at the treasured eggs. "Who did these?" he asked
quickly.

"'Who did these?'" mimicked Elsie. "Oh, you needn't try that. We found
you out at once, or _I_ did."

"You think I painted 'em--I sent 'em?" queried Jimmy.

"Of course I do. Now, Master Jimmy--"

"Miss Elsie, just as true as I'm standing here, I never saw them
before."

Elsie shook her head at him, but Jimmy did not see her. He was lifting
the eggs and examining them.

"No, honest, I didn't paint 'em, Miss Elsie. I wish I had; but I can't
do things like that--yet. I can draw as well, am a better draughtsman,
maybe, but I haven't got the ideas. The fellow who did these has got a
lot of original ideas."

Mr. Lloyd came forward here with great interest. "Did any of you,"
turning to Elsie and Marge, "ask who brought the box?"

"Yes," answered Elsie. "I asked Ann, and she said 'a bit of a boy
brought 'em;' she didn't know who he was."

"Ask Rhoda to come here. She knows the neighborhood."

Rhoda came, and Mr. Lloyd put the matter before her. Had she any idea
who the "bit of a boy" was?

"I didn't see him, but it might be Bert Purcel," answered Rhoda. "Folks
get him to do errands sometimes. He's just drove up with his brother to
bring the chickens. I'll send him 'round, and you can ask him."

"Did you leave a box here Saturday night?" Mr. Lloyd inquired
pleasantly, when the boy stood before him.

The red lips began to frame a "No," then closed tightly together, while
the slim little figure whirled about and made an attempt to leap over
the piazza railing,--an attempt that would have been successful if one
foot had not caught in a stout vine.

Royal, waiting in the wagon at the back porch, heard a sudden cry, and
hurried to see what had ha