36 A YEAR WITH NELLIE.

she read, as though he could tell from its ex-
pression what the words meant.

Suddenly, on the very middle of the page
open before her, “plash” fell a drop of water.

“It is beginning to rain,” she said, starting
and wiping the leaf of her book with her
apron. “We had better go in under the trees.”

As she spoke a long low roll of thunder in
the sky made her look at her little brother in
dismay. They had just time to leave the path
and get under a thick canopy of leaves before
there came a rush, patter, and rustle, that told
them the rain was pouring downoutside, though
at present they could not see a drop from
where they stood.

“ How dark it has grown!” Harry whispered,
almost afraid to trust his voice, for the wood
seemed so lonely and strange in the sudden
gloom. “Never mind getting wet, Sissy; let’s
run home.”

“Tt’s such a pity, when we’re so nice and
dry where we are,” his sister answered. Harry
slipped his arm round her and clung tightly,
with cheeks quite pale from fear. They stood
so silently for a few minutes listening to the
patter on the leaves above.