ought her basin, and who flew
forth in most illogical readiness, eager to satisfy her brother, though
she did not know what he wanted. Good-will, however, is often its own
reward, and in this instance it was emphatically so, for Chatty almost
ran into a little group advancing through the shrubbery,--Mrs. Bagley,
with her best bonnet hastily put on, and holding little Geoff Markland
by the hand. The little boy was in advance, dragging his guardian forward,
and Mrs. Bagley panted with the effort. "Oh, Miss Chatty," she cried,
"I'm so thankful to see you! The little gentleman, he's in such a hurry.
The little gentleman----"

Geoff left go in a moment of the old lady's hand, nearly throwing her
off her balance; but he was full of his own affairs, as was natural. "It
is me," he said to Chatty. "I came to see Theo; but I had an accident
and he had an accident. And they wanted to take me to that tall house,
but I wouldn't. Has Theo come back? and where is pony? This old lady has
to be paid for the bread and butter. She was very kind, and took care of
me when I ran away."

"Oh," cried Chatty, "did you run away? And Lady Markland will be so
unhappy."

No one paid attention to Mrs. Bagley declaring that she wanted no payment
for her bread and butter; and Geoff, very full of the importance of
the position, hurried Chatty back to the house. "Can I go in?" he said,
breathless; "and will you send me home, and find pony for me? Oh, here
is Theo. Was it the horse that tipped you on the head?" He came forward
with great gravity, and watched the bathing of Warrender's head, which
was going on partly against his will. Geoff approached without further
ceremony, and stood by the side of the table, and looked on. "Did he
catch you with his forefoot?" said the boy. "I thought it was only the
back feet that were dangerous. What a lot of blood! and oh, are they
going to cut off your hair? When I got a knock on the head, mamma sent
for the doctor for me."

"Dear Theo, be still, and let me do it. How could you get such a blow?"

"I will tell you, Mrs. Warrender," said the little boy, drawing closer
and closer, and watching everything with his little grave face. "Pony
threw me, and the big bays were coming down to crush my head. I saw them
waving in the air, like that, over me! and Theo laid hold of me _here_
and tore me, and they crushed him instead."

"What is all this about a pony and the bays? Theo, tell me."

"He tore me all here, loo