CHAPTER XII.
It was some days before Ethel’s prayers seemed to be answered or the kind plans of Mrs. Keith and her mother could be carried out, for the children were forbidden to go over there. They were permitted to be out for only a short time each day for exercise, and were under strict orders to keep to the side of the parsonage grounds farthest from Mr. Keith’s, though no reason was assigned.
But at last, it having occurred to Mrs. Coote that the very fact of the children being so suddenly and entirely deprived of the privilege of paying frequent visits to the home of little Mary—their favorite resort—would tend to confirm any evil report that might have reached the Keiths, she gave them leave, one afternoon, to go over there for an hour or two; a permission of which they promptly availed themselves.
They received a hearty welcome from both, the ladies and little Mary, accompanied with kind enquiries in regard to their health and why they had stayed away so long.
“We weren’t allowed to come,” replied Harry; “they ordered us to stay over there in their yard ever since that horrid man gave me such an awful beating for just nothing at all ’cept that I couldn’t study; ’twas so hot, you know, and I wanted to be out-doors under the trees.”
“Ah, you were lazy, were you, Harry?” said Mrs. Weston, with difficulty repressing an inclination to smile.
“Yes, ma’am, I s’pose so,” returned the little lad, “but boys can’t help that sometimes when it’s warm and they’re tired of lessons and the birds are singing and the bees humming and all the little creatures out-doors having such a good time.”
“Ah, but the bees are gathering honey and the birds building their nests, hatching their eggs, or rearing their young; they catch worms and insects for them to eat, don’t you know? I think all the creatures God has made have something to do.”
“But they don’t work all the time, do they?” he queried. “And oughtn’t boys to have some time to play?”
“Oh, yes, indeed! some time—after the lessons have been learned and recited.”