Mr.and Mrs.Bayne were to have been with us yesterday, but one of the children was ill, and I must inquire after it." Mr.Percy's politeness just enabled him to suppress a groan.

He had seen Mrs.Bayne once, and not been delighted,--and a sick child! However, duty before all.

They stopped at the gate of the Parsonage.

It was a tolerably large house, standing on a sloping lawn, overlooking the river on one side and the little town on the other; but the lawn was entered only by a wicket, so that Bob had to be fastened to the railing, while the visitors walked up to the house.
The moment they were seen approaching three or four children ran out of the hall, where they were playing, and fell upon Mrs.Bellairs.
"Don't eat me," she cried, kissing them all in turn.

"Which is the invalid?
Where is mamma ?" "It was Nina," shouted a chorus; "she fell into the river.