"I have caught such a lot of pretty sea anemones, Eric," said little
Vernon Williams, as his brother strolled in after morning school; "I
wish you would come and look at them."

"O, I can't come now, Verny; I am going out to play cricket with some
fellows directly."

"But it won't take you a minute; do come."

"What a little bore you are. Where are the things?"

"O, never mind, Eric, if you don't want to look at them," said Vernon,
hurt at his brother's rough manner.

"First you ask me to look, and then say 'never mind,'" said Eric
impatiently; "here, show me them."

The little boy brought a large saucer, round which the crimson
sea-flowers were waving their long tentacula in the salt water.

"Oh, ay; very pretty indeed. But I must be off to cricket."

Vernon looked up at his brother sadly.

"You aren't so kind to me, Eric, as you used to be."

"What nonsense! and all because I don't admire those nasty red-jelly
things, which one may see on the shore by thousands any day. What a
little goose you are, Vernon!"