34 A YEAR WITH NELLIE.

more. However, Nellie soon found a fresh
reason to support her wishes.

“You know the Croft belongs to Mr. Cooper;
and I’m sure if we asked him he’d let ws go in
even if he does keep it private, because he is
our landlord.”

“Of course,” said the little boy contentedly.

They climbed the gate, which was just fas-
tened by a cord wound round the post, and
wandered about down the pretty green alleys
until a fallen tree offered such a good seat
that they stopped and sat down side by side.

“What a lovely place!” said Nellie as she
opened the book.

“Yes,” said Harry, looking round. “ Sissy,
we didn’t come the same way, but I believe it
was close to here that we found the cat.”

“Perhaps it was. Well, are you ready?”

And she began to read.

Harry was a good listener. His mouth and
eyes both well opened, he was soon a picture
of attention. Before many pages were finished
he was quite entranced, and never even knew
that a butterfly alighted for a second on his
knee, so that he could easily have caught it.

The pair were so quiet that a robin hopped