Caroline was unable to get out
of bed with a sick headache, but was able to be down to dinner, where she
found Herbert with rather a grave face, which did not escape the notice
of his mamma; but as he always said, in answer to her question, there was
nothing the matter, she thought he was only in one of his bad humours. She
then told Caroline that she had seen little blind Susan, who was asking
when she was to get another flower.

"I was just waiting for my china-rose to come out," said Caroline; "there
is one bud on it, and you know I said Susan was to have the first rose,
mamma."

If Caroline had looked at Herbert she would have been surprised to see his
face become suddenly red; for the truth was, the rose-bud that Caroline
had watched so carefully was hanging from the stem broken; and more than
that, a great many flowers in her garden had been destroyed. It had
happened in this way. Finding that his mamma had gone out, Herbert went
into the garden with Neptune following closely at his heels. He had been
forbidden to take the dog into the garden, but, trusting to Neptune's
obedient disposition, he thought he could keep him on the walks. He did
not expect to find a cat lying asleep under one of the garden-seats, else
he would have acted differently; for Neptune had a terrible hatred to
cats, and nothing could cure him of it. Therefore, when his eye fell upon
the cat, he bounded off after it, and, regardless of the flowers, chased
it right through Caroline's little border.

Herbert was very sorry, more so when he remembered how his sister had not
told of his bad treatment during their walk by the river; but he was so
afraid of his papa's displeasure, when it became known that he had taken
the dog into the garden, that he made up his mind he would deny all
knowledge of it. He was startled to hear his mamma telling Caroline it
would be better to pull the rosebud now, as it would come out just as well
in water, and last longer than if it were full-blown; so that if she liked
to get it now, she might go with nurse, who was going to take some
medicine to Susan's sick mother.

Caroline, who was always glad to pay a visit to blind Susan, went away at
once into the garden, where she found Stephens the gardener leaning on his
spade and rake, and gazing down in dismay at the broken and crushed
flowers.

"O Stephens, who has done this?" said Caroline, almost ready to cry. "My
beautiful rosebud broken, my poor flowers destro