ed to Douglas and Molly, 'and we'll have a ride
home.'

Up they went, unnoticed by any, and danced up and down with delight
when they reached the top. Then nurse discovered them, and in her
fright and anxiety at their risky position she rushed towards them and
screamed aloud. The horses, startled, swerved hastily aside, and
Douglas, dangerously near the edge, over-balanced himself, and fell
with a terrible thud to the ground. It was the work of a moment to
seize him and drag him from the wheels, which mercifully did not touch
him; but he was carried into the house stunned and insensible, and
Molly and Betty, with scared, white faces, were taken down and sent
indoors.

'It's your fault,' whispered Molly to the frightened Betty; 'you made
us come up, and now Douglas will die! I think he's dead already;
you'll be a murderer, and you'll be sent to prison and hung!'

And Betty quite believed this assertion, and crept up to the passage
outside Douglas's bedroom trembling with excitement and fright. She
crouched down in a corner, and Prince came up, put his two paws on her
shoulder, and licked her face with a little wistful whine. It was a
long time before nurse came out of the room, and then she wasted very
few words on the little culprit.

'Go to bed, you naughty child, and tell Miss Molly to go too. You are
never safe from mischief, and it's a mercy your brother hasn't been
killed.'

'Will he get better, nurse?'

But nurse made no reply, and both little girls were long before they
got to sleep that night, so fearful were their conjectures as to the
fate of their brother.

Douglas was only stunned for the time, and very much bruised and
shaken. Nurse kept him in bed for two or three days, and the two
little girls were unremitting in their care and attention. He accepted
their services with much complacency, and enjoyed his important and
interesting position.

'What would you two girls have done if I had died?' he asked. 'Who
would have been your leader then?'

'You're not my leader,' said Betty promptly. 'No one is my leader. I
lead myself.'

'I don't know what I should have done,' said Molly pensively. 'I
should have had to go about with Betty then. You see, I should have
her, and the twins have themselves. I don't think Bobby and Billy
would miss any of us much if we were to die. We should be equal if you
died, Douglas--two and two, but I'm glad you're going to get better.'

'You wouldn't ha