he was told. She was beginning to feel rather tired,
and it certainly was very comfortable at the bottom of the boat, with
the nice warm feather-mantle well tucked round her.

"Who will row?" she said sleepily. "_You_ can't, cuckoo, with your tiny
little claws, you could never hold the oars, I'm----"

"Hush!" said the cuckoo; and whether he rowed or not Griselda never
knew.

Off they glided somehow, but it seemed to Griselda that _somebody_
rowed, for she heard the soft dip, dip of the oars as they went along,
so regularly that she couldn't help beginning to count in time--one,
two, three, four--on, on--she thought she had got nearly to a hundred,
when----

XI

"CUCKOO, CUCKOO, GOOD-BYE!"

[Illustration]

"Children, try to be good!
That is the end of all teaching;
Easily understood,
And very easy in preaching.
And if you find it hard,
Your efforts you need but double;
Nothing deserves reward
Unless it has given us trouble."

When she forgot everything, and fell fast, fast asleep, to wake, of
course, in her own little bed as usual!

"One of your tricks again, Mr. Cuckoo," she said to herself with a
smile. "However, I don't mind. It _was_ a short cut home, and it was
very comfortable in the boat, and I certainly saw a great deal last
night, and I'm very much obliged to you--particularly for making it all
right with Phil about not coming to play with me to-day. Ah! that
reminds me, I'm in disgrace. I wonder if Aunt Grizzel will really make
me stay in my room all day. How tired I shall be, and what will Mr.
Kneebreeches think! But it serves me right. I _was_ very cross and
rude."

There came a tap at the door. It was Dorcas with the hot water.

"Good morning, missie," she said gently, not feeling, to tell the truth,
very sure as to what sort of a humour "missie" was likely to be found in
this morning. "I hope you've slept well."

"Exceedingly well, thank you, Dorcas. I've had a delightful night,"
replied Griselda amiably, smiling to herself at the thought of what
Dorcas would say if she knew where she had been, and what she had been
doing since last she saw her.

"That's good news," said Dorcas in a tone of relief; "and I've good news
for you, too, missie. At least, I hope you'll think it so. Your aunt has
ordered the carriage for quite early this morning--so you see she really
wants to please you, missie, about playing with little Master Phil; and
if to-