digging his pudgy fingers into whatever portions of my anatomy he could most easily seize.  Budge shouted, “I want a horsie, too!” and seated himself upon my chest.  “This is the way the horsie goes,” explained he, as he slowly rocked himself backward and forward.  I began to realize how my brother-in-law, who had once been a fine gymnast, had become so flat-chested.  Just then Budge’s face assumed a more spirited expression, his eyes opened wide and lightened up, and, shouting, “This the way the horsie trots,” he stood upright, threw up his feet, and dropped his forty-three avoirdupois pounds forcibly upon my lungs.  He repeated this operation several times before I fully recovered from the shock conveyed by his combined impudence and weight; but pain finally brought my senses back, and with a wild plunge I unseated my demoniac riders and gained a clear space in the middle of the floor.

“Ah—­h—­h—­h—­h—­h—­h,” screamed Toddie, “I wants to wide horshie backen.”

“Boo—­oo—­oo—­oo—­,” roared Budge, “I think you’re real mean.  I don’t love you at all.”

Regardless alike of Toddie’s desires, of Budge’s opinion, and the cessation of his regard, I performed a hasty toilet.  Notnwithstanding my lost rest, savagely thanked the Lord for Sunday; at church, at least, I could be free from my tormentors.  At the breakfast-table both boys invited themselves to accompany me to the sanctuary, but I declined without thanks.  To take them might be to assist somewhat in teaching them one of the best of habits, but I strongly doubted whether the severest Providence would consider it my duty to endure the probable consequences of such an attempt.  Besides I might meet Miss Mayton.  I both hoped and feared I might, and I could not, endure the thought of appearing before her with the causes of my pleasant remembrance.  Budge protested and Toddie wept, but I remained firm, although I was so willing to gratify their reasonable desires that I took them out for a long ante-service walk.  While enjoying this little trip I delighted the children by killing a snake and spoiling a slender cane at the same time, my own sole consolation coming from the discovery that the remains of the staff were sufficient to make a cane for Budge.  While returning to the house and preparing for church I entered into a solemn agreement with Budge, who was usually recognized as the head of this fraternal partnership.  Budge contracted, for himself and brother, to make no attempts to enter my room; to refrain from fighting; to raise loose dirt only with a shovel, and to convey it to its destination by means other than their own hats and aprons; to pick no flowers; to open no water-faucets; to refer all disagreements to the cook, as arbitrator, and to build no houses of the new books which I had stacked upon the library table.  In consideration of the promised faithful observance of these conditions I agreed that Budge should be allowed to come alone