Their mama put her hand under Fairy, and felt the eggs.
"They are not quite cold," said she; "I yet hope they may not be spoiled."
"Do you think so, mama? Oh how happy I should be," said Rose, looking up in her tears.
"And then perhaps the poor little chickens are not all dead," said Harry.
"We must leave Fairy quiet. That is all we can do," said their mama. "Let us go in to breakfast."
The children each took one of her hands, and walked silently by her side. As they looked up at her they saw that she looked very sad. They sat down, but could not eat: their hearts seemed too full. Rose soon left her seat, threw her arms round her mama's neck, and leaned her head on her shoulder, and Harry went to her also, and laid his head on her lap.
"You will not be able to trust us any more," said Rose.
"And we have not been useful to you at all," added Harry.
"My dear children," she replied, "this is a great disappointment to me. It grieves me that you have failed in the duty you had undertaken. But learn from your failure a lesson that I hope you will never forget. Whatever duty you have to perform let that be your first concern. Never let pleasure make you forget it."
"We will try, mama," said Rose; and Harry added, "I hope we shall be able to remember."