Their one short visit since Easter had not been a very successful one. Their mother had been ill and Mrs Ascot had been cross, and there was to be no other visit till holiday time. Dixen had come once or twice with a message from Selina, but the tidings he brought were neither very cheerful nor very definite; and no wonder that Frederica longed for more, and would not lose a chance to get them. And so one morning, as Mr Vane and some of his friends were riding through one of the wide upper streets, which at that time looked more like the country than the town, they were startled by a voice calling, "Papa, papa," and out from a straggling line of school girls there sprang a little figure gesticulating eagerly. Mr Vane turned round, and so did the others. "It is you, Fred, is it?" said he in surprise. "Yes, papa, I beg your pardon for calling you, but it is so stupid walking along all in a row, and I want to ask you how mama is, and Selina." "Oh! they are very well--just as usual. But what will madame the schoolmistress say to your escapade?" "I am very naughty I know, papa, but I did so want to hear about mama. Is she really better? Why! here she is," said Frederica in surprise. "Here are Jack and Jill at any rate." Yes, there were Jack and Jill, but there was not Mrs Vane nor Selina. A very pretty lady--two of them indeed--leaned back in the carriage. Frederica turned astonished and indignant eyes from them to her father as the carriage stopped. "Your mama gave herself the pleasure of lending her carriage to Mrs Clifford to-day," said Mr Vane, and Frederica knew by his tone and manner that he was annoyed, though it would not have done to show it to the rest of the party. "Let Miss Vane come with us," said one of the ladies. "We can easily make room for her, can we not, Mrs Clifford?" Mrs Clifford was not quite sure, but Frederica declined the invitation with a stately little curtsey, and turned to her father again. "Do come with us, Miss Frederica," said Major Hargrave, a gentleman whom Frederica had several times seen before: "the day is lovely, and you will enjoy it." "Is it a pic-nic? Thank you. It would be very nice, I daresay, but I would rather not. Good-bye, papa; I am afraid Miss Pardie will be very angry with me." "And no wonder," said her father, laughing. The admiring glances which he saw exchanged quite dispelled his momentary vexation. "We could manage to soothe her, I think," said he. "Would you like to go, Fred? Where is Tessie?" "Tessie is not walking to-day. She was naughty, and remained at home. No, I thank you, papa. If there were no other reason, I could not go because of Tessie. It would be too cruel to go and leave her." "Naughty! what has she done? It would serve her right to leave her if she has been naughty."