he boldest breast.

When the lock was full father killed the viper with a boat-hook. I was
sorry for it myself. It was indeed a venomous serpent. But it was the
first we had ever seen, except at the Zoo. And it did swim most awfully
well.

Directly the snake had been killed H. O. reached out for its corpse,
and the next moment the body of our little brother was seen wriggling
conclusively on the boat's edge. This exciting spectacle was not of
a lasting nature. He went right in. Father clawed him out. He is very
unlucky with water.

Being a birthday, but little was said. H. O. was wrapped in everybody's
coats, and did not take any cold at all.

This glorious birthday ended with an iced cake and ginger wine, and
drinking healths. Then we played whatever we liked. There had been
rounders during the afternoon. It was a day to be for ever marked by
memory's brightest what's-its-name.

I should not have said anything about the picnic but for one thing. It
was the thin edge of the wedge. It was the all-powerful lever that moved
but too many events. You see, WE WERE NO LONGER STRANGERS TO THE RIVER.

And we went there whenever we could. Only we had to take the dogs, and
to promise no bathing without grown-ups. But paddling in back waters was
allowed. I say no more.

I have not numerated Noel's birthday presents because I wish to leave
something to the imagination of my young readers. (The best authors
always do this.) If you will take the large, red catalogue of the Army
and Navy Stores, and just make a list of about fifteen of the things you
would like best--prices from 2s. to 25s.--you will get a very good idea
of Noel's presents, and it will help you to make up your mind in case
you are asked just before your next birthday what you really NEED.

One of Noel's birthday presents was a cricket ball. He cannot bowl for
nuts, and it was a first-rate ball. So some days after the birthday
Oswald offered him to exchange it for a coconut he had won at the fair,
and two pencils (new), and a brand-new note-book. Oswald thought, and
he still thinks, that this was a fair exchange, and so did Noel at the
time, and he agreed to it, and was quite pleased till the girls said it
wasn't fair, and Oswald had the best of it. And then that young beggar
Noel wanted the ball back, but Oswald, though not angry, was firm.

'You said it was a bargain, and you shook hands on it,' he said, and he
said it quite kindly and calmly.

Noel said h