Now the earl entertained his guests with many a river-excursion, and these were fine times for Little Miss Primrose, for he and his friends liked nothing better than to take her with them on their expeditions, to amuse them with her baby prattle, and keep them awake when they moored their boats, and lay back dreamily on their cushions, with half-closed eyes, sheltering themselves beneath the friendly willows from the hot sun. They were all charmed with the beauty and dignified demeanour of the little Queen of the Flowers, whose mysterious committal to Jack's charge he thought it unnecessary to acquaint them with, saying only that she was the child of a distant relative, who had entrusted him for a time with her guardianship. So the little lady's lofty airs, which mingled humorously with her sweet winning ways, excited no troublesome questionings, while they afforded endless amusement to the castle party. She was worthy of admiration when she ran, with her bright curls tossing in the wind, and her dark eyes shining with glee, to toss handfuls of sweet woodland blossoms at dad's feet, or with sudden half-shy boldness ran to the prostrate figure of the young earl, and dropped her spoils one by one over his face, as he lazily reclined on some mossy bank in the wood, while the boats lay moored below. Jack was infinitely proud of his darling, and while himself keeping at a respectful distance from the merry company on these occasions, prided himself secretly, as he watched her with fond eyes, on the fearless ease of her demeanour with her lordly friends, yet ever and anon saying to himself with a sigh; "Surely the time will come when she will fret against the rough ways of the old boatman, and sorely desire to tread some other path, whither his clumsy feet may scarce hope to follow!" Only once did he venture to interfere with the company on behalf of his child, when one morning the young earl was giving a lunch-party in the woods near the river, and the ladies having as usual called Little Miss Primrose to their side, he took his glass of wine and held it to her rosy lips. Then Jack, who from his retreat at a modest distance had been watching every movement of his darling, started forward, and almost snatching the glass from his young master's hand, exclaimed; "Nay, my lord! Pardon my boldness, but never a drop of strong drink shall my child taste! I have never been a man for drink, as you know, and I would fain bring up the child to follow in my steps at the least in that respect." A murmur of indignation at his interference ran round among the guests, but the earl only laughed satirically. "You know the evil that lurks in the cup, do you, my friend?" he said, while for a moment a dark shadow clouded his sunny face. "Well, every man has a right to his own opinion, but in mine, you don't know half the pleasure of life! There, take the child away--perhaps the sight of the evil thing may be enough to harm her!" "Perchance it may,