nt" as well as "sans terre." I know one way
of getting some, though. Papa said if I would translate that favourite
piece of his in Caesar all through, _well_, he would give me
half-a-crown. But then, consider the labour! I have a strong suspicion
that it might prove fatal to my constitution.'

'Oh, humbug! you could do it easily if you chose,' said the elder
brother. 'Besides, I'll help you, if papa doesn't mind.'

'You'll do it, I know,' pleaded Willie softly; 'and I've got a shilling
that'll go towards buying some roots.'

'And Seymour and I have got sixpence between us,' cried Duncan. 'I say,
Honorius, haven't we pulled up a jolly lot of weeds already?'

'Oh, famous,' cried the Emperor approvingly. 'Work away; we shall have
to go in to dinner soon.'

He himself toiled with all his might, for the soil in some places was
very stiff, and resisted the incision of the spade. Whenever he came to
a part where it was looser, he turned that over to the younger ones; for
Honorius, though occasionally sharp in speech, was almost invariably
kind and considerate in his actions. 'Deeds, not words,' was his
favourite motto; but it would sometimes have been well if he had
remembered that we must give account for words as well as deeds, and
that the law of love should govern both.

The boys worked on for some time almost in silence. Johnnie was
expending his energies in hard digging, and dropped for the while his
usual character of 'merry-andrew.' He was considering with himself, too,
whether he should undertake the task his father had proposed to him.

'To be sure, I have a strong motive now for earning the half-crown,
which I hadn't before,' thought he; 'but papa's so awfully particular,
and I'm--yes, I must allow--I'm such an awful blockhead, that it's as
likely as not I shall not win the money after all. However, I can but
try; yes, and I will try too.'

Lackland's face was very bright when he took his place at dinner that
day, but his behaviour was more quiet and guarded than usual: he
conducted himself more like Willie's ideal mouse, than like the noisy,
rattling fellow he usually appeared. The brothers sat, three on each
side of the table; no one claimed the place at the top, where the mother
was accustomed to sit when well. Dr. Campbell looked tired, and was very
silent, but took care that his sons' vigorous appetites should be duly
satisfied, and was always ready with a kindly 'Willie, my boy, don't you
want some mo