ed that the slightest disagreement had
occurred to mar the harmony of their afternoon.

As they went down the garden Harry fetched a spade from the tool-shed;
and when the little patch that he owned was reached, the boy, with
something very like a tear in each eye, dug a hole, and laid his ferret
in it, and had just filled it in when they were summoned to tea; but
they did not go until the spade was put away, and they had shaken hands
all round in the tool-house, and vowed friendship for evermore.

CHAPTER TWO.

OLD SAM--CATCHING THE CARP.

"Come, Fred, get up, it's such jolly weather. Make haste, and then we
can go down the garden before breakfast," said Harry, the next morning.

"Aw-aw-yaw-aw-aw," said Fred, gaping dreadfully, and so sleepily that he
forgot to place his hand before his mouth.

"Oh! come, I say, that won't do down in the country; here, it's seven
o'clock, and we're going to have such a stinging hot day. Do get up and
dress. There is Phil down the garden now."

"Ah-aw-aw--yes, I'll get up," said Fred, yawning again. "But what early
folks you are; we don't get up so soon at home. What time do you have
breakfast?"

"Eight o'clock, and Papa never waits for anybody; so make haste down, or
we shan't have time to do anything before it's breakfast bell."

"I want some hot water," said Fred, grumpily.

"What for?" said Harry.

"Why, to wash in, of course," said Fred.

"Ho! ho! ho!" burst out Harry, laughing, "hot water to wash with in
July! Why, we never use any all through the winter, when it's ever so
cold, and the jugs get frozen over. You try cold water, it's ever so
much better, and makes you have red cheeks like Phil's."

"Hi, hallo-o-o!" shouted somebody front out of doors.

"There's Phil," said Harry, going to the window and throwing it open,
when in came gushing the sweet morning air, laden with the dew sweetness
of a thousand flowers. The roses and jasmine nodded round the casement,
and from almost every tree within reach of hearing, right down to the
coppice, came ringing forth the merry morning songs of the birds.

"Oh!" said Fred, in a burst of admiration as he went to the window, half
dressed; "oh! isn't it beautiful? I never thought the country half so
pretty. I wish I had got up sooner."

"Do you?" said Harry. "Won't we have you up, then, to-morrow morning!
But only look; Phil has found an old `bottle washer.' Do make haste and
come down, and we'll put him in t