English well, and try to pick up
a little French from Sophie, than to be always talking with an
Indian, my child. But the first thing you have to do, Mervyn, is to
get fat and rosy like Bunny here. And you must grow tall, dear boy,
for you are very, very small for your age; you must grow as fast as
you can or this little girl will soon be the tallest," and Mrs.
Dashwood pinched her daughter's plump cheek.

"Oh! but mama, dear, he can't make himself grow," remarked Bunny, as
she stood up to measure herself with her cousin. "He has not got a
key to wind up the works of himself, so he must just wait small till
he begins to grow big."

"You are sharp enough, Miss Pert," said her mother, laughing. "I
wish you would learn to be more steady and to remember what is said
to you."

"Oh! I can remember," cried Bunny gaily; "I've got a splendid
memory, haven't I, Miss Kerr?"

"Yes, I think you have, dear," said Miss Kerr gravely; "but I am
afraid you do not always remember at the right time. Eh! Bunny?"

"No, I don't," said the little girl, hanging her head; "I quite
forgot when I got up and went to feed Frisk. But I don't think God
minded that much; it was not much harm."

"God is always displeased at disobedience, Bunny," said Mrs.
Dashwood very seriously. "The first thing God expects of a little
child is that she should be obedient, and so my Bunny must try and
remember things that she is not allowed to do, and then be very
careful not to do them."

"Yes, mama, I will try," said Bunny in a subdued voice.

"That is right, dear, and I hope little Mervyn will do the same."

"Yes, aunt, I will indeed; papa told me to be very good until he
came home, and I mean to be," he said, drawing himself up in a
determined manner.

"Well, then, I am sure you will do Bunny good and help her to
remember. But now run away like good children and tell Sophie to
take you out for a walk. It is a lovely morning, and a run on the
sands will give you an appetite for your dinner."

"Very well, mama," cried Bunny gaily, and away she darted out of the
room singing and shouting at the top of her voice.

"Good morning, aunt," said Mervyn gently, and he followed his little
cousin in a slow dignified manner, turning quietly to shut the
drawing-room door behind him.

"What a harum-scarum that Bunny is!" said Mrs. Dashwood with a sigh.
"It is very hard to make an impression on her."

"Yes, it is certainly, at least for more than a few minutes