he, like the rest being unseen, was forgotten.  In excuse for Marten I must say that he first ran to the stables, and there learnt from a boy whom he found there, that Master Jameson had had permission that morning from his papa to have out one or two of the horses and ponies, on condition that Chambers, the old coachman, and Rogers, the groom, were present with the young gentlemen, and that every obedience were paid to their directions, so that if they saw anything wrong they might enforce attention to their requests.

As many of the young gentlemen too had ridden over on their ponies to Mr. Jameson’s, there were a goodly collection of horses assembled together, and the races that ensued, and the leaping over low fences that followed, so quickly passed away the time that when the first bell rang, announcing that dinner would shortly be served, Marten was quite astonished to find that it was nearly three o’clock, and that almost two hours had passed since he had seen his brother.  But now, as the boys were taking the horses and dogs to the stables, he hastened towards the house as fast as he could, for he saw the lawn was tenant-less, and knowing the way to the room where he usually slept when at Mrs. Jameson’s, he hurried up the stairs only to find that his things had been placed there, and that Reuben’s little parcel had been taken elsewhere and was probably where the child also was, for no Reuben was to be seen.  As Marten could meet with no servant, he ran along the gallery trying to distinguish amongst the many voices he heard on all sides that of his brother’s, but in vain, so many were the sounds that reached his ear, and as he did not like to open any of the doors, or push those farther open that were not quite closed, he raised his voice and called aloud “Reuben, Reuben, I want you—­Reuben come to me in the passage—­here I am—­come to me Reuben.”

To Marten’s annoyance, instead of his brother replying to his call, Jane Roscoe stepped out into the gallery, exclaiming—­“Oh! it is you, is it?  Whom do you want?  What are you come here for? these are the girl’s rooms! those are our bedrooms, and this is our sitting room.  Are you come to make an apology for your rudeness this morning?  If so, I will call the rest out to hear what you have to say.”

“I want my brother, Miss Roscoe,” replied Marten, trying to speak civilly.  “May I go into your sitting room, or would you have the goodness to tell him to come to me here.”

“I shall do no such thing,” answered Miss Jane, “you may get him as you can, though I do not know how you will manage to do that either; for Mary has taken such a fancy to the little fellow, that she will not give him up easily.”

“Would you tell me if Reuben is content?” asked Marten, “for if so I would rather leave him with Miss Mary.”

“Just pop your head inside that door,” said the rude girl, “and judge for yourself, that is, if you dare to do so—­for your brother is there, and Mary and a dozen more girls.  Do you dare?” she inquired mockingly, “come let me see you do it, then.”