88 AUDREY.

“When she awoke the cows were going home, cropping the
grass as they went along; one coming quite near frightened
her nearly to death, but after a gentle ‘Moo!’ the cow moved
lazily along, switching her tail as she went. Then the evening
breeze stirred the leaves, and Violet sat up quite smartly in
the midst of her bower. Hearing a gentle sigh, she looked
around and saw the mole.

“* Back again,’ was her greeting.

“< Yes,’ he said, in a down-hearted way.

“¢ Well, what is it now? asked she.

“<T know I presume very greatly, but I should like to take
you to the ball to-night.’ .

“To the ball? Really, I had thought——’ And she
hesitated, for she did not like to say she had thought one of
the night-moths might ask her.

“¢T am rather a clumsy partner, I know,’ the mole con-
tinued, ‘but I can do better than you would think; I can
forward and back beautifully.’

“Well,” said Violet, determining to make the best of a
bad bargain, ‘I will go with you.’

“«Thank you,’ said the mole. ‘Twelve sharp.’ And he
scuttled away, leaving Violet rather dissatisfied.

“Just then a fine spotted moth flew by, and, spying her,
went back. ‘You sweet little thing, said he. ‘Don’t you
want to go to the ball with me to-night ?”

‘I cannot,’ replied Violet; ‘I have promised the mole.’