er plate with
nourishing and wholesome food, she began to eat with appetite. Towards
the end of the meal she bent over towards Mrs. Dolman, and said in a
confiding voice:

"Has you got woods wound here?"

"Yes, my dear; there are some nice woods about a mile away."

"I'd like to go there this afternoon, please, Aunt Jane. I has
'portant business to do in those woods." Diana looked round the table
very solemnly as she said these last words. Philip could not help
laughing.

"Hush, Philip! I won't have Diana laughed at," said Mrs. Dolman, who
for some reason was now inclined to be specially kind to the little
girl. "If you would really like to spend the afternoon in the woods,
Diana, I see nothing against it," she remarked. "You are all having a
holiday, and as to-morrow lessons will of course be resumed, I do not
see why your wish should not be gratified. Miss Ramsay, you will of
course accompany the children, and, Lucy, my dear, you can have the
pony chaise, if you promise to be very careful. You can take turns to
sit in it, children. And what do you say to asking cook to put up a
few bottles of milk and some cake and bread and butter--then you need
not return home to tea?"

"That would be delightful, mamma," said Lucy, in her prim voice.

"Thank you, mamma," said Mary.

"French, my dears; French!" said Miss Ramsay.

"As it is a holiday, Miss Ramsay, the children are allowed to tender
their thanks to me in the English tongue," said Mrs. Dolman.

Miss Ramsay bowed and slightly colored.

"Is you going with us?" asked Diana, fixing her dark eyes full upon
the governess' face.

"Yes, Diana; your aunt wishes it."

"We don't want no g'own-ups."

"Hush, Diana! you must not begin to be rude again," said Mrs. Dolman.
"Miss Ramsay certainly goes with you, please understand."

"I underland--thank you, Aunt Jane," said Diana.

She looked solemnly down at her empty plate. Her whole little mind was
full of her namesake--the great Diana of long ago. She wondered if in
the deep shade of the woods she might find a bow strong enough to
injure her enemies.

CHAPTER X.

BOW AND ARROW.

Nothing interfered with the excursion to the pleasant woods near
Super-Ashton Rectory. The children all found themselves there soon
after four o'clock on this lovely summer afternoon. They could sit
under the shade of the beautiful trees, or run about and play to their
hearts' content.

Miss Ramsay was a very severe governes