the window was shut Bunny could not hear a word she
said.

"Oh dear, what a lot Miss Kerr has got to say!" cried the little
girl impatiently. "She seems as if she had forgotten all about me. I
am tired of being out here all alone, so I'll just run in and play
with my dollies."

Now the nearest way into the house was up a flight of steps and in
by the dining-room window, which was like a large glass door, and
always lay open in the most tempting manner possible.

So up these steps went Miss Bunny, her hands full of flowers and her
mind bent on mischief, if she could only meet with anything to do
that would amuse her and give her some fun.

[Illustration: THE BUTLER SURPRISES BUNNY.]

The room into which she stepped was a very pretty one. It was very
nearly round, with many high windows looking out upon the pleasant
grounds and blue sparkling sea. Upon the walls were pictures of fine
thoroughbred horses, some of them with their little foals beside
them, others with a surly-looking old dog or a tiny kitten, their
favourite stable companion and friend. Bunny loved these pictures
and had given the horses pet names of her own, by which she insisted
on calling them, although their own well-known names were printed
under them, for they were all horses that had won a great number of
races during their lives, and so had become celebrated.

The round table in the middle of the room was laid ready for dinner,
and looked very inviting with its prettily arranged flowers,
handsome silver, and shining glass.

"Dear me, how nice it all looks!" said Bunny, as she marched round
the table on tip-toe. "One, two, three, four places. Why, it must be
for company. Well, I hope there will be somebody nice to talk to me.
I must get Sophie to put on my pretty new frock. But oh, dear, what
fun it would be just to put a tiny, little drop of water into every
glass! Wouldn't old Ashton wonder--just when he thinks everything is
nice for dinner? I will! I'll do it! It will be such fun! Oh, I'd
like to see his face; won't he be horribly angry?"

Throwing her flowers on the floor, Bunny sprang to the side-board,
and seizing a water-jug she climbed up on each chair in turn and
poured a few drops of water into every glass all round the
dinner-table.

Just as she came to the last wine-glass and held the jug ready to
let the water fall into it, the door opened suddenly and the
solemn-looking old butler entered the room.

"Miss Bunny!" he exclaim