58 CAROLINE.

ance, a

Mrs. Keep’s anxiety. Her conversation with Mr. Keep.

“and he will lend it to me to carry you home, while his
grist is grinding.”

“ But who will tend the grinding then ?” said Phonny.

“ Oh, he will tend it himself,’ said Rodolphus.

So Rodolphus went and spoke to the man, and in a
few minutes returned, and reported that the man said
they might have his wagon and welcome.

“ And I will go and drive you,” said Rodolphus.

So Rodolphus went into a little room in a corner of the
mill, and. took off his miller’s frock and put on his jacket.
Then he went out and got the wagon, and brought it up
to the door. He helped the children in, and then got in
himself, taking his seat on a small box, which was in the
front part of the wagon. When all was thus ready, he
drove off through the village.

In the mean time, at Mr. Keep’s house, when the great
shower came on and Mrs. Keep found that Caroline and
the children did not return, she felt a great deal of so-
licitude about them. She went into her husband’s office,
where Mr. Keep was busy writing, to speak to him
about it.

“ Husband,” said she, “I am afraid the children have
got into some difficulty.”

“ Yes,” said Mr. Keep, “I presume they have.”

“ What shall we do?” said Mrs. Keep.

“TI don’t know that there is anything that we can do,”
replied Mr. Keep. “They will come home by-and-by,
all drenched with the rain, that’s all. There is no other
way with such a girl as Caroline, but to let her learn by
her own experience.”

“ But [ am afraid that they have got into some serious