And so it proved. The wind soon abated, and the thunder appeared gradually to pass away to the eastward. It continued to rain in torrents for some time; but then they were completely protected from it, and did not get wet at all. It was an hour before the rain was entirely over, so that they could go out and go home. But then the air was bright, the sun was shining, and all nature looked refreshed. Royal felt much better pleased with having been the protector of his party, than with having teased and troubled them as he had done on the former day. And though Marielle did not say any thing about it, he knew that she was pleased with him too. Royal liked Marielle for her gentleness and patience; and she liked him for his energy and courage.
CHAPTER XI.
THE DICTIONARY.
One evening, Lucy was playing in the parlor where her mother was at work sewing. Lucy was sitting upon a cricket, looking over a book. Presently she found, between the leaves of the book, a small piece of white paper.
“O mother! I’ve found a piece of paper,” said she.
Her mother did not answer.
“I wish I had a pen and ink,” said Lucy again, in a tone intermediate between talking to herself and to her mother; “then I would write a letter on this piece of paper.”
“And what would you do with your letter?” said her mother.
“Why, I would play that I was the postman, and so I would carry it about.”
Just then Lucy happened to recollect that her father was in his room writing; and so she concluded that she would go in and ask him to write her a letter. She accordingly rose from her seat, and went to the door of her father’s room.