re
betaking ourselves home very soon? You, Willie?"

"No, papa," I said, "nor Aleck either; we mean to have a very
delightful, long, whole holiday, and to do no lessons at all, not the
very smallest little bit of one." And so saying, we picked up the boat
and various other belongings, and, one on each side of my father, took
the way of the Zig-zag up towards home.

"We haven't quite settled all we are going to do to-morrow, papa," I
proceeded; "but if we may, we want to have the boat in the morning, and
sail the 'Fair Alice,' and go out to some place for madrepores; and
George is going to see about Aleck's boat too. And then, in the
afternoon, we would play cricket with you, dear papa."

"I am much obliged to you, Willie," answered my father, playfully bowing
to me, "and feel greatly honoured at your kind arrangement for my
amusement. Perhaps you have planned for your mamma also; is she to
field-out when I take my innings? or possibly she will bowl!"

"Auntie couldn't soon put you out if she were to bowl," said Aleck,
laughing; "it would not do to trust Auntie with the ball."

"Then, perhaps, the wicket?" suggested my father.

"Now, papa, you know," I interposed, "you will be all alone with dear
mamma in the morning--you always are--but you always do play with me in
the afternoon; and now that Aleck is here to play also, it will be so
jolly. Please, dear papa, do say you will."

"Shall I say, like the poor people, _I'll consider of it?_" answered my
father. "But allow me to state to you both that I am at present
considering another thing, which is, that so long as I have you two boys
clinging one at each side of me, I am reduced to the necessity of
climbing this steep hill with a matter of twelve stone in tow, and that
at my time of life I ought rather to be looking upon you young people as
crutches to assist my failing steps."

"Do use me as a crutch, papa!" I exclaimed.

"Please, uncle, let me be another crutch," chimed in Aleck, and we
insinuated ourselves into what we thought a convenient position under
his elbows. Whereupon, suddenly bringing his weight down upon us, and
contriving a dexterous movement towards the bank, my father landed us
both on our backs amidst the grass and the ferns, and was off at such a
pace that we were some time in catching him up again, out of breath as
we were with the fall, and the laughing, and the running up the hill.

"Isn't papa great fun?" I asked my cousin, as we were i