"Well, Stephens," said Caroline, "since only my flowers have suffered, will you please not tell papa this time? I can get up early in the morning and tie them up a little, if you could help to rake it smooth for me."
"That is very kind of you, miss," replied Stephens, admiringly; "but what about the rose you have been watching so carefully all this week?"
"Isn't it strange?" said Caroline; "I came to pull it at mamma's request, and see, it is only broken with quite a long stem to it."
To Herbert's great surprise, Caroline returned with a bright smiling face, and said nothing about the state she had found her garden in.
The next morning Caroline got up much earlier than her usual time for rising, but not so early as she intended, for there was a good deal of hard work before her garden could be made neat again. Dressing herself quickly, she ran out, not even taking time to put on her bonnet, so eager was she to begin; when to her surprise, there was Herbert busy at work with a trowel smoothing the ground and propping up the earth round the crushed flowers. She stood for some time scarcely believing it possible, half thinking she must be dreaming; for Herbert was so fond of his bed, once he was in it, that it was always a very difficult matter to get him out of it. Now here he was, at six o'clock in the morning, hard at work, as if his very life depended upon it. She ventured at last to step close up to him, and tapped him on the shoulder, not very sure whether he would feel angry or pleased to be caught at his novel employment. She did not notice that her mamma was standing by the garden gate; for Mrs. Ashcroft, having a bad headache, had got up early also, and had come out, in the hope that the morning air would take it away.
"It is very good of you, dear Herbert," said Caroline, while their mamma paused to look at her children. "I was just coming to arrange them, when I find you, like that kind fairy-man in my new book, setting everything in order."
SURPRISED AT WORK.
The idea passed through Herbert's mind for a moment that perhaps Caroline did not know how her flowers had been broken, and so he need not tell her he had had anything to do with it. He had felt very miserable ever since it happened, thinking that his papa would be certain to find it out and punish him, and at the same time he was ashamed when he thought of his unkind treatment of his sister. It was only for a moment he hesitated, however; then turning frankly round, he said, "I am very sorry, Carry, your garden has been destroyed. It was all my fault, but I did not mean it. I took—"
"Yes, I know," said Caroline, interrupting him; "but don't say any more about it, we can easily get it put right again; indeed, you have done a great deal already. How early you must have been up!"