painter.

"Do you really believe it, Emma? Do you really think that I can ever do
it? I should like to begin directly; I feel as if I couldn't wait. But
what can I do? How shall I begin?"

"I can't think exactly, but I'm sure I shall get hold of some plan;
don't be in too great a hurry," said the girl; "I dare say I shall have
something to propose when I go to school to-morrow. But now come; hurry
up and finish the oak, and then take the paper and pencils home with you
and do something else. You know your drawings will be shown at
examination, and will need nice paper and pencils; you have nothing but
brown paper; so take this."

Fani was delighted with the gift; it was for want of material that he
had not drawn at home, and now there was nothing to prevent him from
working to his heart's content. As he put the finishing touches to his
sketch, while Emma looked on and admired, the sun went down, the shadows
began to fall, and reminded the children that it was quite time to
return home.

Fred had meanwhile finished his researches for grubs, and stood outside
the hedge, looking up the road, in the hope of seeing his sister Emma,
with whom he wished to have a very plain talk on the subject of the
paper. On the inside of the hedge, in the garden, stood Oscar, with the
same intentions, but in a more seriously displeased state of mind, for
had not Emma robbed him of his friend? and just now, too, when he was so
important to Oscar; for the preparations for the Festival could not go
on without Fani.