"I wish Charlie would come with that tea," exclaimed Mrs. Ellis, who sat
finishing off some work, which had to go home that evening. "I wonder what
can keep him so long away. He has been gone over an hour; it surely cannot
take him that time to go to Watson's."

"It is a great distance, mother," said Esther Ellis, who was busily plying
her needle; "and I don't think he has been quite so long as you suppose."

"Yes; he has been gone a good hour," repeated Mrs. Ellis. "It is now six
o'clock, and it wanted three minutes to five when he left. I do hope he
won't forget that I told him half black and half green--he is so
forgetful!" And Mrs. Ellis rubbed her spectacles and looked peevishly out
of the window as she concluded.--"Where can he be?" she resumed, looking in
the direction in which he might be expected. "Oh, here he comes, and Caddy
with him. They have just turned the corner--open the door and let them in."

Esther arose, and on opening the door was almost knocked down by Charlie's
abrupt entrance into the apartment, he being rather forcibly shoved in by
his sister Caroline, who appeared to be in a high state of indignation.

"Where do you think he was, mother? Where _do_ you think I found him?"

"Well, I can't say--I really don't know; in some mischief, I'll be bound."

"He was on the lot playing marbles--and I've had such a time to get him
home. Just look at his knees; they are worn through. And only think,
mother, the tea was lying on the ground, and might have been carried off,
if I had not happened to come that way. And then he has been fighting and
struggling with me all the way home. See," continued she, baring her arm,
"just look how he has scratched me," and as she spoke she held out the