did so, and smelt at one corner of the lid,
smacking his lips afterwards with quite a hungry sound, as though he had
not just had a regular hearty breakfast, and left off eating last of
everybody at the table. But I have said before that Harry was a
terrible trencherman; and I almost wonder that the school authorities
where he went did not insist upon a higher rate of pay for him.

Mr Inglis took the reins and mounted to his seat, and the boys to
theirs. "Good-byes" were waved to Mrs Inglis in the porch, and then
away started the horse, with such a vigorous leap, that the two boys,
Harry and Fred, who were behind, nearly rolled out of their places, and
only held on by grasping the iron side-rail pretty tightly.

What a delightful affair a country ride is on a bright morning before
the sun has attained to sufficient height to render his beams
oppressive! There's a soft breeze plays upon the cheek, and rustles
through the hair; the distant view looks more beautiful than later in
the day, for the shades are deeper, and there is generally a soft haze
lingering by the wood-side, where the sun has not yet driven it away;
soft and shady look the great horse-chestnut trees, although the
blossom-spikes have given way to little prickly seed-vessels, but the
great fingered fronds droop gracefully towards the ground, and form one
of the thickest of leafy shades. At this hour the sun has not drunk up
all the dew-drops, and bright they look wherever they hang in little
pearly rows, reflecting the sun in the most dazzling of colours; and yet
how often we pass all these, and hundreds of other beauties of the
country, either unnoticing or merely regarding the way in which they
blend into one beautiful whole.

Mr Inglis had been persuaded into making one of the party, and
delighted the boys were with the success of their coaxing, each being
ready to take the credit of the success to himself: though the real
cause of Mr Inglis's agreeing to accompany them was that he thought
they would be better taken care of, and less likely to get into any
scrape.

The wheels spun round merrily, and all congratulated themselves upon the
glorious day they had for their excursion, a day that lent its
brightness to everything, and would, no doubt, have sent the party home
quite happy if not a fish had been caught. It was a pretty drive,
between waving cornfields and oak-groves, and over a golden furzy
common, where Harry had to jump down and hold