at down
in her rocking-chair, as if about to open the court.

"I _haven't_ done anything bad, and I _aint_ afraid, only I don't want
to go back; and if I tell, may be you'll let 'em know where I be," said
Ben, much distressed between his longing to confide in his new friend
and his fear of his old enemies.

"If they abused you, of course I wouldn't. Tell the truth and I'll
stand by you. Girls, you go for the milk."

"Oh, Ma, do let us stay! We'll never tell, truly, truly!" cried Bab and
Betty, full of dismay at being sent off when secrets were about to be
divulged.

"I don't mind 'em," said Ben, handsomely.

"Very well, only hold your tongues. Now, boy, where did you come from?"
said Mrs. Moss, as the little girls hastily sat down together on their
private and particular bench opposite their mother, brimming with
curiosity and beaming with satisfaction at the prospect before them.

_(To be continued.)_

A CHAT ABOUT POTTERY.

BY EDWIN C. TAYLOR.

"Did you see those funny little china figures at the Centennial when
you were there?" asked Willie of his cousin Al on their way home from
school one day.

"What figures, Will? Do you mean those large red clay things from
England, or the Chinese figures that Mr. Wu had at his place?" said Al.

"I don't mean either; I said small figures. Don't you remember a
splendid show of pottery near the music-stand in the main building?"
asked Will.

"Yes," said Al. "Well, there was a lot of figures of London street
people, and some were the funniest-looking things you ever saw."

"I saw so much china and 'pottery,' as you call it, that I hardly
recollect any of it. But 'pottery,' I thought, meant merely flower-pots
and other ordinary stone-ware?"

[Illustration: LONDON CABMAN (ROYAL WORCESTER PORCELAIN)]

"Why, no," said Willie; "it means anything that is formed of earth and
hardened by fire. I heard Uncle Jack say so, and he knows, doesn't he?"
said Willie, decidedly.

"Of course; but people do call these things 'china' or 'porcelain' as
well as 'pottery,' don't they?"

"Yes; but Uncle Jack says 'pottery' means all those together, and
'porcelain,' 'majolica,' and other names like that are names of
different kinds of pottery," answered Willie.

"Well," said Al, "let's ask Uncle Jack to tell us all about it. What do
you say?"

"Yes; let's ask him this very night."

When the lads reached home they told their plan to Willie's sister
Matie, and then all thre