them by degrees, and should do so sooner if I had them in my own
hands, and no more worthy task can be done than training human beings
for their work in this world, so I must be willing to go through a
little while I bring them into order, and fit their mother for
managing them."

She spent the time before breakfast the next morning in a search
among the back numbers of the "Traveller's Magazine" for a paper upon
"Educational Laws," which she thought would be very good reading for
Fanny. Her search had been just completed when Grace returned home
from church, looking a good deal distressed. "My poor thrushes have
not escaped, Rachel," she said; "I came home that way to see how they
were going on, and the nest is torn out, one poor little fellow lying
dead below it."

"Well, that is much worse than I expected!" burst out Rachel. "I did
think that boy Conrade would at least keep his promises." And she
detailed the adventure of the previous day, whence the conclusion was
but too evident. Grace, however, said in her own sweet manner that
she believed boys could not resist a nest, and thought it mere
womanhood to intercede for such lawful game. She thought it would be
best to take no notice, it would only distress Fanny and make "the
mother" more afraid of the boys than she was already, and she doubted
the possibility of bringing it home to the puerile conscience.

"That is weak!" said Rachel. "I received the boy's word, and it is
my business to deal with the breach of promise."

So down went Rachel, and finding the boys rushing about the garden,
according to their practice, before her arrival, she summoned