h they sat so far that they completely lost their equilibrium, and
indubitably proved the possibility of _their_ getting out, at least, by
finding themselves on the floor in various ungraceful positions, and
with several pretty hard knocks.

These had of course to be re-packed, which ceremony being accomplished,
the business of eating and drinking commenced in earnest.

This occupied a considerable part of the time which was thereafter
filled up with games and songs supplied by the young folks themselves,
Minnie and Mabel merely superintending.

They departed about nine o'clock, all highly pleased with themselves,
each other, and most of all with the young ladies who had provided for
them this means of enjoyment. Each of them carried away some remnant of
the feast, and better than that, all carried to their homes and
scattered there all unconsciously, the seeds of kindness which had that
night been scattered so freely in their own hearts; for Minnie could not
let them go away, even on that first night of her experiment, without
saying to them a word about the kind "Master" who had put it into her
head to give them this pleasure, and offering up a short and simple
petition that her efforts might be attended with the result she aimed
at, namely, the winning of these young souls for the Master's service.

There were no murmurings as they ran home about their fun being turned
into a prayer-meeting, as would doubtless have been the case had the
Missionary or the Curate tried such a plan, but none of those who were
likely to give the matter a second thought suspected a girl not much
older than themselves of such a thing, and the younger ones did not
trouble themselves with motives, but thought it nice to have the young
lady speaking so sweetly and gently to them, with tears in her eyes too,
and determined firmly, though they were scarcely conscious of the
determination, to please her by every means in their power, and from
that moment were her devoted champions.

Mabel and Minnie had had a slight difference of opinion on the subject
of allowing the children to provide the games and songs entirely
themselves. Mabel thought it likely they would introduce rather rough
games, and possibly rude songs, and that it might be better if they
themselves suggested the games, and allowed only such songs to be sung
as should be approved by them.

"Because," she remarked, "We mean to educate them to something better
than what forms th