Produced by David Edwards, Jacqueline Jeremy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) +------------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber's Note: | | | |The words "if only little Judy had stayed with me, I | |should", possible repeated instead of the first words | |of the next sentence, have been reproduced as typeset.| +------------------------------------------------------+ A YOUNG MUTINEER [Illustration: "WAS THE PERSON FICKLE, AND DID HE BREAK HIS PROMISE?" _Frontispiece._] A Young Mutineer BY MRS. L. T. MEADE AUTHOR OF "A GIRL IN TEN THOUSAND," "A RING OF RUBIES," "GIRLS NEW AND OLD," ETC. NEW YORK STITT PUBLISHING COMPANY 1905 TO MY LITTLE GIRL HOPE THE REAL JUDY October 23, 1893 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. AN OLD-FASHIONED LITTLE PAIR 1 II. THE PEOPLE WHO GET MARRIED 14 III. A QUESTION AND AN ANSWER 26 IV. CHANGES 36 V. IN A GARDEN 52 VI. THE EVE OF THE WEDDING 67 VII. A WEDDING PRESENT 82 VIII. HONEYMOON 91 IX. STARVED 101 X. WAITING 118 XI. HUSBAND AND WIFE 129 XII. HILDA'S ENGAGEMENT RING 149 XIII. JUDY'S ROOM 157 XIV. THE LITTLE RIFT 174 XV. THREE IS TRUMPERY 186 XVI. A LITTLE GIRL AND A LITTLE CROSS 195 XVII. JUDY'S SECRET 208 XVIII. GIANT-KILLER 224 XIX. GOOD OMENS 253 A YOUNG MUTINEER. CHAPTER I AN OLD-FASHIONED LITTLE PAIR. Sun and shower--sun and shower-- Now rough, now smooth, is the winding way; Thorn and flower--thorn and flower-- Which will you gather? Who can say? Wayward hearts, there's a world for your winning, Sorrow and laughter, love or woe: Who can tell in the day's beginning The paths that your wandering feet shall go? --MARY MACLEOD. The village choir were practicing in the church--their voices, somewhat harsh and uncultivated, were sending forth volumes of sound into the summer air. The church doors were thrown open, and a young man dressed in cricketing-flannels was leaning against the porch. He was tall, and square-shouldered, with closely-cropped dark hair, and a keen, intelligent face.