d I have thought of a
plan that will save your short legs and Mervyn's weak ones a good
deal."

"A plan! Oh! what is it? you dear, darling papa," she cried
joyfully.

"No, I won't tell you, little one. Run off and get dressed, and you
will see what it is when you come back. Away you go!--both of you.
Be quick, or Frank and I will not wait for you."

Bunny and Mervyn were both very curious to know what this wonderful
plan of Mr. Dashwood's could be, and chattered away about it as they
were being dressed by Sophie.

"To the top of Oliver's Mount!" cried the maid, holding up her hands
in astonishment when the children told her where they were going.
"Gracious! is it that monsieur your papa knows how far it is? You
will both be too tired to return home to-night."

"Then we shall sleep in that little house at the top, among the buns
and the lemonade," said Mervyn. "That would be fine fun, wouldn't
it, Bunny?"

"I don't know about that," replied the little girl. "But do not be
frightened, Sophie; papa has a fine plan, so we sha'n't be one bit
tired. Come on, Mervyn," and, laughing merrily, the two children ran
off together down-stairs.

"Papa, papa! where is your plan?" cried Bunny, as they met her
father and young Collins in the hall. "We do so want to know what
your wonderful plan can be."

"Here it is, then, my dear," said Mr. Dashwood, and he threw open
the door, and displayed two steady-looking old donkeys standing
ready saddled at the gate. "You are to ride one of those fellows,
and Mervyn the other. That is my plan; isn't it a good one?"

"Capital! capital! What fun! what fun!" cried the children, clapping
their hands in delight. "But, papa, the donkeys will never go up the
mountain," exclaimed Bunny suddenly; "Sophie says there is a big
stile to get over, so how will they manage that?"

"We won't ask them to go over the stile," said Frank Collins, as he
lifted the little girl and seated her comfortably on the saddle.

"They will carry you up the road to the foot of the Mount, and then
we will leave them there to rest and eat some grass, while we go on
our rambles up to the top."

"Wasn't it a capital plan of papa's, Mervyn, to get us these
donkeys?" asked Bunny, as she and her cousin jogged quietly along
the road on the steady old animals. "These are such nice
well-behaved creatures, and don't run away in a hurry like Master
Frisk."

"No, I should think not," answered Mervyn laughing. "Why, just loo