“No, darling, never.  I shall always do what seems to me to be for your good, even in spite of yourself.  I who have so often been guilty of murmuring against the will of my heavenly Father, who, I well know, is infinite in wisdom and goodness, ought to be very patient with your distrust of a fallible, short-sighted earthly parent.  But come, darling, we will go up-stairs; we have just time for a few moments together before you go to bed.”

On going to their bedroom after leaving her father, Elsie found Sophie already there, impatiently waiting to tell her of the plan for the morrow, which she had just learned from Richard.

She was a little disappointed to find that it was no news to Elsie, but soon got over that, and was full of lively talk about the pleasure they would have.

“It will be so much pleasanter,” she said, “than going berrying with those school-children, for I dare say we would have found it hot and tiresome walking all that distance in the sun; so I’m right glad now that your father said no, instead of yes.  Aren’t you, Elsie?”

“Yes,” Elsie said with a sigh.

Sophy was down on the floor, pulling off her shoes and stockings.  “Why, what’s the matter?” she asked, stopping with her shoe in her hand to look up into Elsie’s face, which struck her as unusually grave.

“Nothing, only I’m so ashamed of crying when papa said I shouldn’t go,” Elsie answered, with a blush.  “Dear papa!  I always find he knows best, and yet I’m so often naughty about giving up.”

“Never mind, it wasn’t much.  I wouldn’t care about it,” said Sophy, tossing away her shoe, and proceeding to pull off the stocking.

Chloe whispered in Elsie’s ear, “Massa not vexed wid you, darlin’?”

Elsie smiled and shook her head.  “No, mammy, not now.”

The little girls were awake unusually early the next morning, and the first thing they did was to run to the window to ascertain the state of the weather.  It was all they could desire; a little cooler than the day before, but without the slightest appearance of rain; so the young faces that surrounded the breakfast table were very bright and happy.

The carriages were at the door very soon after they left the table.  It did not take many minutes to pack them, and then they set off all in high glee; more especially the little ones.

Everything passed off well; there was no accident, all were in good humor, the children on their best behavior, and they found the strawberries and cream very fine; so that when the day was over, it was unanimously voted a decided success.

A few days after this the children were again in their favorite spot down by the brook.  They were sitting on the grass talking, for it was almost too warm to play.

“How nice and cool the water looks!” remarked Sophy, “Let’s pull off our shoes and stockings, and hold up our dresses and wade about in it.  It isn’t at all deep, and I know it would feel so good and cool to our feet.”