shoulder.

"Mother, I know you said it was rude to whisper in company, but I want
to tell you something very much."

Mrs. Carlton smiled.

"I am sure the young ladies will excuse you, my daughter, if it is
important." She bent her head, and a prolonged whispering followed.
A flush rose to the mother's cheek and a tear to her eyes, as she
clasped her to her heart, and said,

"I wish you, my children, to speak out, and tell all you know of this
affair."

Elliot was spokesman.

"We went into the garden as you desired us, mother, and Erasmo and I
picked the peas, while sister held the basket; presently we heard a
noise in the brush fence like something coming through, and sister got
frightened (here he laughed), and wanted to run to the house, but we
told her it was only a sheep or dog outside; but it turned out to be
the Padre, and he came and helped us to pick. Mother, he told us such
pretty stories; I can't think of the names; they must have been Dutch,
they were so long and hard. But I remember one of the tales; he said
there was once a good man who lived in Asia, and one day he lost his
crucifix; he looked everywhere for it, but could not find it; and a
long time afterward, he happened to be walking by the sea-shore
and looked out on the water, and oh, what do you think! He saw his
crucifix moving on the water, and a great crab paddled out to land and