strawberries this
afternoon."

"Where?" interrupted Harry eagerly.

"Was anybody speaking to you?" asked his cousin, laughing. "But I'll
tell you if you won't go and eat them all up. Over on the edge of the
woods by Mill Bank Farm. I could soon have filled a basket if I had
had one, and if mother wouldn't have said it was Sabbath-breaking!"

"Alick, my boy," said his mother gravely, "you mustn't talk so
thoughtlessly. What would your uncle say?"

"He'd say it was a pity so good a mother hadn't a better son. But
never mind, mother dear, you'll see I'll come all right yet. As for
these strawberries, Lucy, I vote we have a strawberry picnic, and give
Stella a taste of real country life. They'll give us cream at the
farm, and the Fords would join us."

Stella looked a little of the surprise she felt at the idea of the
farmer's children being added to the party, but she did not venture to
say anything, as Alick was by no means sparing in bringing his powers
of raillery to bear on what he called her "town airs and graces."

"Well, you needn't make all the arrangements to-night," interposed
Mrs. Steele; "you know your uncle doesn't like Sunday planning of
amusements."

And just then Mr. Raymond entered the room, his grave, quiet face,
solemnized by the thoughts with which he had been engrossed,
exercising an unconsciously subduing influence over the lively
juniors. Mr. Raymond never frowned upon innocent joyousness, and even
the boisterous little Harry was never afraid of his father; yet there
was about him a certain realization of the great truths he preached,
which checked any approach to levity in his presence, and impressed
even the most thoughtless; although, not tracing it to its real
source, they generally set it down simply to his "being a clergyman."
His children looked up to him with devoted affection and deep
reverence; even Stella could not help feeling that her uncle must be a
_very_ good man; and to Alick, who under all his nonsense had a strong
appreciation of practical religion, he was the embodiment of Christian
excellence.

"Well, Stella," said her uncle, turning kindly to his niece, "I hope
you had a pleasant afternoon. I suppose our little Sunday school looks
very small after the great city ones."

"We never go to Sunday school at home, uncle," said Stella, with one
of her winning smiles; "there are so many _common_ children."

"Oh, indeed!" exclaimed Alick, seizing the opportunity of putting