d been so much shaken that he
started, and seemed ready to catch hold of her at every sound.

'What's that?' he cried, as a trampling came along the alley as they
entered the garden.

'Only my two little cousins,' said Honora, smiling. 'I hope you will be
good friends, though perhaps Owen is too young a playfellow. Here, Lucy,
Owen--here is a little friend for you--Robert Fulmort.'

The children came eagerly up, and Lucilla, taking her hand, raised her
face to kiss the stranger; but Robert did not approve of the proceeding,
and held up his head. Lucilla rose on tiptoe; Robin did the same. As he
had the advantage of a whole year's height, he fully succeeded in keeping
out of her reach; and very comical was the effect. She gave it up at
last, and contented herself with asking, 'And where do you come from?'

'Out of the church,' was Robin's reply.

'Then you are very good and holy, indeed,' said Owen, looking at him
earnestly, with clasped hands.

'No!' said Robert, gruffly.

'Poor little man! he was left behind, and shut up in the church all
night, without any supper,' said Honora.

'Shut up in the church like Goody Two-shoes!' cried Lucilla dancing
about. 'Oh, what fun!'

'Did the angels come and sing to you?' asked Owen.

'Don't ask such stupid questions,' cried his sister. 'Oh, I know what
I'd have done! Didn't you get up into the pulpit?'

'No!'

'And I do so want to know if the lady and gentleman on the monument have
their ruffs the same on the inside, towards the wall, as outside; and,
oh! I do so want to get all the dust out of the folds of the lady's ruff:
I wish they'd lock me into the church, and I'd soon get out when I was
tired.'

Lucilla and Owen decidedly thought Robin had not profited by his
opportunities, but he figured better in an examination on his brothers
and sisters. There were seven, of whom he was the fourth--Augusta,
Juliana, and Mervyn being his elders; Phoebe, Maria, and Bertha, his
juniors. The three seniors were under the rule of Mademoiselle, the
little ones under that of nurse and Lieschen, and Robert stood on neutral
ground, doing lessons with Mademoiselle, whom, he said, in unpicked
language which astounded little Owen, 'he morally hated,' and at the same
time free of the nursery, where, it appeared, that 'Phoebe was the
jolliest little fellow in the world,' and Lieschen was the only
'good-natured body going,' and knew no end of _Mahrchen_. The boy spoke
a very