so scarce that the traveller does not meet one in a long

day's journey. Thousands of beautiful flowers decked

the greensward, and numbers of little birds hopped

about among them.

"Now, lads," said Joe Blunt, reining up, "our troubles

begin to-day."

"Our troubles?--our joys, you mean!" exclaimed

Dick Varley.

"P'r'aps I don't mean nothin' o' the sort," retorted

Joe. "Man wos never intended to swaller his joys