birthday."

"That will tickle him immensely; and if you'd just let him put brown
tops to my old boots and stick a cockade in his hat when he sits up
behind the phaeton, he'd be a happy fellow!" laughed Thorny, who had
discovered that one of Ben's ambitions was to be a "tip-top groom."

"No, thank you; those things are out of place in America, and would be
absurd in a small country place like this. His blue suit and straw hat
please me better for a boy, though a nicer little groom, in livery or
out, no one could desire, and you may tell him I said so."

"I will, and he'll look as proud as Punch; for he thinks every word you
say worth a dozen from any one else. But wont _you_ give him something?
Just some little trifle, to show that we are both eating humble pie,
feeling sorry about the mouse money."

"I shall give him a set of school-books, and try to get him ready to
begin when vacation is over. An education is the best present we can
make him, and I want you to help me fit him to enter as well as we can.
Bab and Betty, began, little dears,--lent him their books and taught
all they knew; so Ben got a taste, and, with the right encouragement,
would like to go on, I am sure."

"That's so like you, Celia. Always thinking of the best thing and doing
it handsomely. I'll help like a house a-fire, if he will let me; but,
all day, he's been as stiff as a poker, so I don't believe he forgives
_me_ a bit."

"He will in time, and if you are kind and patient he will be glad to
have you help him; I shall make it a sort of favor to me on his part,
to let you see to his lessons, now and then. It will be quite true, for
I don't want you to touch your Latin or algebra till cool weather;
teaching him will be play to you."

Miss Celia's last words made her brother unbend his brows, for he
longed to get at his books again, and the idea of being tutor to his
"man-servant" did not altogether suit him.

"I'll tool him along at a great pace, if he will only go. Geography and
arithmetic shall be my share, and you may have the writing and
spelling; it gives me the fidgets to set copies and hear children make
a mess of words. Shall I get the books when I buy the other things? Can
I go this afternoon?"

"Yes, here is the list, Bab gave it to me. You can go if you will come
home early and have your tooth filled."

Gloom fell at once upon Thorny's beaming face, and he gave such a
shrill whistle that his sister jumped in her chair, as sh