'Pray,' said the Vicar, with a sound of dismay, 'where may the bill
be? I thought the limits were two pounds eighteen.'

'Oh! I take all that on myself.'

'We shall see,' said Mr. Holdsworth, not gratefully. 'Was Origen
sent home in time for you to bring?'

'There!' cried Louis, starting, 'Origen is lying on the very chair
where I put him last January. I will write to Jem Frost to-morrow to
send him to the binder.'

'Is it of any use to ask for the music?'

'I assure you, Mr. Holdsworth, I am very sorry. I'll write at once
to Frost.'

'Then I am afraid the parish will not be reformed as you promised
last Christmas,' said the Vicar, turning, with a smile, to Mrs.
Frost. 'We were to be civilized by weekly concerts in the school.'

'What were you to play, Louis?' said Mrs. Frost, laughing.

'I was to imitate all the birds in the air at once,' said Louis,
beginning to chirp like a melee of sparrows, turning it into the
croak of a raven, and breaking off suddenly with, 'I beg your pardon--
I forgot it was Sunday! Indeed, Mr. Holdsworth, I can say no more
than that I was a wretch not to remember. Next time I'll write it
all down in the top of my hat, with a pathetic entreaty that if my