ave too many pets already."

"What a funny idea, grandma," said Caroline. "I couldn't have too many
pets. But I will tell you what I mean to do with it. I am going to take
great care of it till Herbert's birth-day, and then I am going to give it
to him."

"But you will have to look after it all the same," said her grandmamma,
laughing; "for Herbert will go to school immediately after his birth-day."

"I shall like to do it, though, very much, grandma. I take care of his
rabbits, and Neptune, you know," said Caroline; "and he said I had managed
them beautifully."

Carry got the bird, it was taken home, and every day she hung the cage out
of her bed-room window, and gave him a bit of nice sugar, and the starling
became very tame. At night it was always taken into the housekeeper's
room, and hung upon the wall there; and the good Mrs. Trigg was very kind
to it, though a starling was by no means the cleanest bird that one could
have. "You don't think Tom will touch it?" said Caroline, the first night
the bird was there. Tom was Mrs. Trigg's favourite tabby cat; and really,
to look at him lying on the rug, winking and blinking before the fire,
paying more attention to the kettle hissing and boiling away than to any
bird, Caroline could not help feeling a little ashamed of the question.

[Illustration: CARRY AND THE STARLING.]

"Oh, Tom has got over all that kind of wild pranks, Miss Carry," said Mrs.
Trigg. "He is wondering why I am delaying to infuse my tea, for Tom likes
his drop tea as well as his mistress."

"Then I must not detain you longer," said Caroline, knowing that Mrs.
Trigg did not like to be put past her tea-hour. "Mamma says that, if
convenient, we are to drink tea with you some night soon, and my cousins
are quite anxious to be invited also."

[Illustration: TOM AT HIS EASE.]

"I would be a little nervous, miss, at entertaining such a large party,"
said Mrs. Trigg, but looking quite pleased nevertheless.

"Oh, you must ask us all," said Caroline, laughing; "when shall I come to
write the invitations for you? To-morrow night?"

"Well, miss, if you think you could be happy in my room, we will say
to-morrow night."

The invitations were duly sent out, Mrs. Trigg requesting the pleasure of
their company on the next week; and each of the children received a
separate note of invitation--and each, of course, had to reply, accepting
the invitation, in the same manner. But on the very morning of the
tea-