ut, "O Herbert, how could you, could you be
so cruel! It is quite true what mamma says, you are nothing but a coward,
to hunt a dumb creature, a poor blind animal, so."

[Illustration: A MISCHIEVOUS PAIR.]

At these words Herbert flew into a passion, and told Caroline she might
find her way home the best way she could, for that he would not walk any
more with her; and away he ran, with Neptune at his heels. When he was a
few yards off, he turned and cried out, "I hope you won't meet with Farmer
Brown's bull, that's all; and that you won't find the stepping-stones
difficult, now that your coward isn't there to help you."

Caroline thought that he was only doing this to frighten her, and
expecting he would return in a short time, she sat down by the brink of
the river, wondering how boys could be so cruel to God's creatures. Boys
were taught by their parents to be kind to animals, just as their sisters
were; yet, as they grew up, they forgot all about it,--at least, very many
of them did; and they seemed to try who would do the most cruel thing.
She sat trying to think of a plan to make her brother Herbert kind and
gentle; and again it came into her mind how by her own hastiness she had
made him angry just when he was doing everything to please her. "It was so
very dreadful of him to hurt the poor blind mole," she said aloud; "I
could not help speaking out; only I need not have called him a coward. I
might have shown him how bad his conduct was in a gentler way; but, as
nurse and mamma say, I am always so hasty."

Caroline having sat a long time, began to think that Herbert really did
not mean to come for her; and fearing her mamma would be alarmed if she
did not return with Herbert in time for dinner, she turned back along the
path they had come, walking as fast as she could. After passing through
two fields, and managing to open and shut the gates with some difficulty,
she was alarmed by hearing a loud roar, which she guessed must come from
Farmer Brown's bull. She nearly fell down with terror, for the bull had a
very bad character for goring people, and had only the week before hurt a
little boy very seriously. Collecting all her courage, she crept round by
the side of the hedge. Fortunately the bull had his head turned in the
opposite direction, so that she managed to pass him and get out of the
field without being seen by him. At the stepping-stones she stopped,
afraid to venture over; but a man came up, who kindly