THE LOST IIALF-SOVEREIGN. 59

spirit of mischief is most apt to get thorough
hold of a boy; and once this zs the case, who
can say where or at what a boy will stop?
[very opposition or contradiction only adds
fuel to the flames; and not seldom a tiny
spark may thus end in a great fire. Nurse
knew something of boys in general, and of Mott
in particular ; and, knowing what she did, she
decided in her own mind that she had better
take the’ bull by the horns without delay.

“Miss Floss,” she said seriously, “and Mas-
ter Carrots, I think you had better tell your
brother your secret. He'll be very kind about
it, you'll see, and he won't tell anybody.”

«Won't you, Mott?” said Floss, jumping up
and down on her chair in her anxiety. “ Prom-
aIsejla

“Honor bright,’ said Mott.

Carrots opened his mouth as if about to
speak, but shut it down again.

 

“What were you going to say?” said Mott.
ot “ Nucken,” replied Carrots.
“People don’t open their mouths like that,