ay, often a rather trying day to heads of households in
every class. But Jim's mother was in pretty good spirits. She had got on
with her work, Sunday's pie had been made early and sent on to granny's,
and Jamie, who was a very careful messenger, would be back with it
immediately, all ready to be eaten cold with hot potatoes the next
day. So Sunday's dinner was off the good woman's mind, when suddenly a
startling vision met her gaze. There was Jamie, red-eyed and tearful,
coming down the road, and beside him the little Master from the Lawn
House. What could be the matter? Jamie had not hurt _himself_, thus
much was evident, but what was the small and shapeless bundle he was
carrying in the handkerchief she had given him to cover the pie, and
what had come over the nice clean handkerchief itself? The poor woman's
heart gave a great throb of vexation.

"What ever have ye done with the pie, Jamie?" she exclaimed first in her
anxiety, though she then turned in haste to bid the little master "good
morning."

"O mother," Jamie began, his sobs bursting out afresh, but Ted put him
gently aside.

"Let me tell," he said. "I came on purpose. If--if you please," he went
on eagerly, though his fair face flushed a little, "it was all my fault.
I gave Jim a little poke with my stick, quite in fun, and somehow it
made him drop the pie. But it isn't his fault. You won't scold _him_,
please, will you?"

Vexed as she was, Jamie's mother could not but feel softened. Ted's
friendly ways were well known to his poorer neighbours, who with one
voice pronounced him "a perfect little gentleman wherever he goes."

"It's not much use scolding," she said gently enough, but still with
real distress in her tone which went to Ted's heart. "No use crying over
spilt milk, as my master says. But still I do think Jamie might have
been more careful. However, it can't be helped, but they'll have to do
without a pie for dinner to-morrow. And thank you, Master Ted, for
coming along of Jim for to tell me."

"But it wasn't Jim's fault. It was _all_ mine," repeated Ted sadly. And
then he bade the poor woman good-bye, and nodding to Jim, who was still
wiping his eyes, though looking a good deal less frightened, the boy set
off towards home again.

But how different everything looked--the sun was as bright, the air as
pleasant as ten minutes before, but Ted's heart was heavy, and when at
the garden gate he met his mother, who greeted him with her kind smil