"Will you be the teacher, mamma?" asked Frankie, quite forgetting his fatigue.

"No, dear, Willie may turn his back to the horses, and be the teacher first. You can take turns."

"Why didn't I think of this way before?" said Willie; "it's real nice.

The rain came pouring right in my face. Now I can put this shawl up, and keep it all off."

"You crowd my knees dreadfully," said Frankie.

"Don't be impatient, dear," said his mother. "We must all try to be accommodating when we are out in the rain. Your brother has been sitting very patiently with the rain beating in his face, and you will be glad, I'm sure, to have him with us behind."

"I can't move my feet at all," said Frankie, in an impatient tone.

"Move a little this way, then; I am sure we can make room for all.

Perhaps," she said softly, "there is somebody in your corner who ought to be driven out."

The little boy turned quickly round before he thought that his mother meant Satan; and this made them all laugh. Frankie was still rather fretful, but Willie began blowing with all his might. Willie and Nelly both looked so merry that he put away his naughty feelings, began to laugh, and soon found plenty of room on the seat.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER IV.

PLAYING SCHOOL.

"Now I'll give you a word to spell," said Willie; "I bet none of you can spell it right."

"Don't say _bet_, my dear," said his mother. "It is not a good word to use. Beside, you are a teacher now, you know."

"The boys at school all say _bet_, mother," answered Willie. "I don't see any hurt in it."

"But do they really bet?" asked his father.

"O, no, indeed, sir! It is only a habit they have of saying so."

"It is a low expression," said his mother. "I wish you wouldn't use it."

"Well, I won't, mother, when I can think of it. But I'll give you the word. It is Constantinople."

"It is a long word," said mamma. "But I will try it;" and the lady's eyes twinkled as she began, "C-o-n, Con; s-t-a-n, Constan!"

"Stop! please stop, mother!" shouted Willie, laughing heartily. "You know it; let me try father?"

"No, try me," said Nelly; "try me once!"

"Well, I will. Spell Con."

"C-o-n, Con," repeated Nelly slowly, looking steadily in her cousin's face.

"That is right; stan."

"S-t-a-n," said Nelly.

"Yes; now spell ti," added Willie.

"T-i, ti."

"No," said the boy, shaking his head solemnly.

"T-y," again tried the little girl.

"No," said Willie still more seriously.

"T-i-e," shouted Frankie.

"No," again repeated Willie.

"N-o, no," said his father.

Nelly and her cousin looked astonished.

"O father! That wasn't fair," cried Willie. "They wouldn't have spelt it at all."

"When I went to school," said his father, laughing, "any body in the cla.s.s had a right to spell the word if the others missed it."

When the travellers stopped for dinner, it rained so hard, that Mr. Gray said he didn't know as they would be able to go on. They were in a small, poorly-furnished tavern; and it did not look as if they would have a very good time if they staid.

"We are quite comfortable behind," said the lady; "but it must be very bad for you."

"The boot comes up so high that it keeps the rain out, except from my face," said Mr. Gray. "Perhaps I can manage in some way to carry an umbrella."

"That would be too hard," replied the lady. "If you think it best, I am willing to stay."

After waiting at the tavern about two hours for the horses to rest, Mr.

Gray told the children to make haste and put on their clothes, as the carriage was coming to the door. They did not know, until then, whether they were to go or stay.

"Do you think it best to go?" asked the lady. "It is raining so hard, I am afraid you will be very wet."

"O, look at the carriage, papa!" shouted Frankie, as it drove past the window.

"I found a nice leather curtain in the box," said the gentleman, "which will shield me entirely."

"What a pity you did not find it this morning!" said Willie.

When they were seated in the carriage, they rode for nearly a mile before there was much said by the children. The new curtain proved a good screen from the rain, so that Mr. Gray was able to enjoy the ride as well as the rest of the party.