lis warmly thanked the farmer
and his wife for their hospitality, and then, refraining from uttering
any words of blame, hurried the lads into the four-wheeled chaise, so as
to hasten home to quiet the alarm of Mrs Inglis, who was, of course, in
a state of great anxiety.

"Good-byes" were said, and promises made to go and see Mrs Benson
again, and then off trotted the horse, and round spun the wheels; while
Dick every now and then gave a short bark, evidently of pleasure at
being allowed to ride. As for Philip and Fred, they were both soon fast
asleep, with their heads nodding and rolling about enough to shake them
off.

At last the Grange was reached, Mrs Inglis's fears set at rest, and,
half-asleep, all three boys were soon up in their bedrooms, and the next
morning, when the eight o'clock bell rang, more soundly asleep than
ever, so that they had to be shaken and shouted at to make them get up,
which they did at last, yawning fearfully, and feeling so stiff, sore,
and aching, that they could scarcely move.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

A SHORT SCOLDING.

Soon after breakfast on the morning after the wander in Beechy Wood, Mr
Inglis sent for his sons and Fred to come to the library, into which
room they all walked, after having almost a scuffle outside the door to
decide who should be the first to enter, the scuffle resulting in Fred
being made the advance-guard, and pushed in before his cousins; Harry,
being the most active, securing to himself the last place. The boys
were in a dreadful fidget: they had done wrong, and they knew it well,
and therefore felt prepared to receive a terrible scolding; but the
anticipation proved worse than the punishment itself, for Mr Inglis
looked up smiling when they entered, and seeing Harry's scheming to get
last, called him at once to the front, and said--

"Now, boys, you see that if you had behaved rightly yesterday all that
trouble and inconvenience would have been spared to us all. I cannot
say that you acted in direct disobedience to what you were told, for you
had no commands; but you all well knew that you had no right to go to
Beechy Wood, which is of course proved by your hiding your intentions
from Mamma. But, there, I am not going to scold, for you have all been
well punished; but, my boys, I want you to promise me one thing, and
that is, that full confidence shall always exist between us. I want my
boys to grow up men of honour--Englishmen whose word and every action