was
coming. I must get something for my dear pony, now that I am up, so
I'll go off to the larder and see what I can find there."

So away went Bunny in high glee at her clever thought; but when she
arrived at the larder door she found it locked, and she was about to
turn away sad and disappointed when a sudden jingling of keys was
heard in the passage, the kitchen door opened, and Mrs. Brown, the
cook, appeared upon the scene.

"Miss Bunny, dear, what brings you here at such an hour? And law but
you are dressed queer! But, indeed, them Frenchies are little good
with their new-fangled ways. It's nurse that used to dress you
smart, deary, and as for Sophie, she beats all;" and the good woman
held up her hands in dismay at the child's untidy appearance.

"Oh, Sophie didn't dress me at all!" cried Bunny. "She doesn't even
know I'm up, for she's fast asleep. But I was so tired lying there
listening to Sophie snoring that I thought I would get up and go
out. I want to take my pony a piece of bread, so please give me some
for him and some for myself, Mrs. Brown, for I'm very hungry."

"Bless your heart, of course I will," cried the good-natured woman,
as she unlocked the door, and cutting two large slices of bread and
butter, handed them to the little girl.

"Oh, thank you," said Bunny; "Frisk will like this, I am sure. Good
morning, Mrs. Brown, and mind you don't tell Sophie where I am, if
she comes to look for me."

"Don't be afraid, deary, I won't give her any news of you. I don't
admire her and her stuck-up French airs, so she won't get much out
of me."

But Bunny did not wait to hear the end of the good woman's speech
against poor Sophie; she had got all she wanted, so away she ran to
pay her morning visit to her little pony.

When Frisk heard the stable door opening and a footstep approaching
his stall, he whisked his tail and twisted his head as well as he
could, to see who was coming to visit him at such an early hour. And
when he found it was his little mistress, and heard her voice at his
ear he neighed with delight, and rubbed his velvety nose up and down
her frock.

"Dear old Frisk," she cried, patting his neck, "there's a little
cousin coming all the way from India to stay with us. Sophie is not
glad, but I am, and Miss Kerr is, and you must be glad too, old man.
And he's not black at all, Frisk, oh, no, and it is very, very silly
of you to think so, sir. You must be good to him, dear little pony,
a