Henrietta had seldom been more uncomfortable than during this altercation; and but for reluctance to appear more obliging than her cousin, she would have begged to give up the scheme.  Her mother would have interfered in another moment, but the entrance of Uncle Geoffrey gave a sudden turn to affairs.

“Who likes to go to the Pleasance?” said he, as he entered.  “All whose curiosity lies that way may prepare their seven-leagued boots.”

“Here are the girls dying to go,” said Mrs. Langford, as well pleased as if she had not been objecting the minute before.

“Very well.  We go by Sutton Leigh:  so make haste, maidens.”  Then, turning to his mother, “Didn’t I hear you say you had something to send to Elizabeth, ma’am?”

 “Only some currant jelly for little Tom; but if—­”

“O grandmamma, that is my charge; pray don’t cheat me,” exclaimed Henrietta.  “If you will lend me a basket, it will travel much better with me than in Uncle Geoffrey’s pocket.”

“Ay, that will be the proper division of labour,” said Uncle Geoffrey, looking well pleased with his niece; “but I thought you were off to get ready.”

“Don’t keep your uncle waiting, my dear,” added her mamma; and Henrietta departed, Beatrice following her to her room, and there exclaiming, “If there is a thing I can’t endure, it is going to Sutton Leigh when one of the children is poorly!  It is always bad enough—­”

“Bad enough!  O, Busy Bee!” cried Henrietta, quite unprepared to hear of any flaw in her paradise.

“You will soon see what I mean.  The host of boys in the way; the wooden bricks and black horses spotted with white wafers that you break your shins over, the marbles that roll away under your feet, the whips that crack in your ears, the universal air of nursery that pervades the house.  It is worse in the morning, too; for one is always whining over sum, es, est, and another over his spelling.  O, if I had eleven brothers in a small house, I should soon turn misanthrope.  But you are laughing instead of getting ready.”

“So are you.”

“My things will be on in a quarter of the time you take.  I’ll tell you what, Henrietta, the Queen Bee allows no drones, and I shall teach you to ‘improve each shining hour;’ for nothing will get you into such dire disgrace here as to be always behind time.  Besides, it is a great shame to waste papa’s time.  Now, here is your shawl ready folded, and now I will trust you to put on your boots and bonnet by yourself.”

In five minutes the Queen Bee flew back again, and found Henrietta still measuring the length of her bonnet strings before the glass.  She hunted her down stairs at last, and found the two uncles and grandpapa at the door, playing with the various dogs, small and great, that usually waited there.  Fred and the other boys had gone out together some time since, and the party now set forth, the three gentlemen walking together first.  Henrietta