, Mollie, or we shall miss
the fun,' and picking up the tail of her long skirt, young Mrs. Raeburn
disappeared through the French window.

As the two girls neared the yard, loud voices were heard and the
clattering noise of the donkey's feet upon the cobble stones made it
evident that the harnessing had began.

'Well! how is Tim behaving himself to-day?' called out Mrs. Raeburn.

Instantly three flushed, angry faces looked up, and three fingers
touched three perspiring foreheads respectfully.

'Well, ma'am!' answered Simmons, sulkily, 'I never came across such a
little brute. Just look at that,' he continued, as Tim made a sudden
plunge for the duck-pond, and in spite of the frantic efforts of the two
strong boys who were holding his head on either side, he nearly
succeeded in joining the ducks which were swimming here and there on its
smooth surface.

'Now then, now then,' murmured Mrs. Raeburn, in a soft, cooing voice, as
she walked in front of the donkey, and began to rub his nose; but he
tossed his head angrily to one side, and showed her a set of large,
strong teeth in such a suggestive manner that she discreetly stepped
back.

'Take care of his heels, M'm,' said one of the boys, in an anxious
voice, as she laid her hand on Tim's back, and she had just time to move
away when back went his ears, and up went his hind feet.

Clatter, clatter, clatter went those evil little heels against the cart,
till Mrs. Raeburn thought that by the time he had finished, the pretty
little cart would be fit for little else than match-wood. Suddenly he
stopped, turned gently round with a surprised look in his soft eyes, as
much as to say, 'I wonder what you are all here for?' and from that
moment he gave no more trouble.

Apparently this tantrum was at an end, and as he stood placidly whisking
his long tail over his pretty back, Mrs. Raeburn mentally began to make
apologies for him. Doubtless the men had teased him, and naturally the
poor dear little thing had tried to take his revenge.

'No,' she said, in answer to a murmured question from Simmons, 'you need
not take him round. We can just start right away from here. You have the
soup, Mary, and the whip?'

'Oh! do let me hold the whip, Mother,' pleaded the shrill voice of her
son, and Mother weakly consented.

'Tim is a darling, isn't he, Mother?' said the small voice, as they
drove past some cottages; 'but I expect he could be naughty. I wonder
what he would do if I ga