158 Tom Seven Years Old.

Tom repeated aloud what he had whis-
pered.

“T don’t know which I like the best,” said
Archie. | |

“Don’t think now,” said the old gentle-
man; “wait till afterwards. Think of straw-
berries now—only strawberries. Give them

3)

some more cream, grandmamma.”

The old lady filled their plates again. Out-
side, the sun was shining hotly on the goose-
berry bushes and apple-trees, but inside the
ivy-nest it was shady and cool. After eating
as many strawberries as they could, they
began to talk and look about them.

“Now for the peacocks,” said the old
gentleman, who seemed to guess the very
thing they wanted. “Come along, come
along !”

“T'll stay here till you come back,” said the
old lady, nodding kindly to Archie and ‘Tom
“Run away, my dears.”

Airchie walked beside his grandpapa, and
_ Tom ran on before. The currant-bushes were
covered with nets, and a poor bird had crept