He was one of those who were especially proud of being downright, and in him it often amounted to utter regardlessness of people’s feelings, yet not out of ill-nature; and when Susan responded, “Don’t teaze Davy—he can’t bear it,” he was silent; but the mischief was done; and when Miss Fosbrook went on saying that the wish to help the poor woman was assuredly a good thought, which the little boy might well ask to be aided in fulfilling, David had grown ashamed, and would not listen. But the mention of the pig had set off Master Henry, who was sitting up in the window-seat with Annie, also learning the Collect, and he burst out into descriptions of the weight of money that would be found in Toby, and how he meant to go to the fair with Purday, and help him to choose the pig, and drive it home. “More likely to hinder,” muttered Sam. “Besides, Papa wouldn’t let you,” added Bessie; but Hal did not choose to hear, and went on as to how the pig should ran away with Purday, and jump into a stall full of parliament gingerbread (whereat Annie fell into convulsions of laughing), and Hal should be the first to stop it, and jump on its back, and ride out of the fair holding it by the ears; and then they should pop it into the sty unknown to Hannah Higgins, and all lie in wait to hear what would happen; and when it squealed, she would think it the baby crying; but there Susan burst out at the notion of any one thinking a child could scream like a pig, taking it as an affront to all babyhood; and Miss Fosbrook took the opportunity of saying, “Hadn’t you better hatch your chickens before you count them, Henry? If you prevent everyone from learning the Collect, I fear there will be the less hope of Mr. Piggy.” “Oh! we don’t have fines on Sundays,” said Henry. “Mamma says that on Sundays naughtiness is not such a trifle that we can be fined for it,” said Susan. “It is not naughtiness we are ever fined for,” added Elizabeth: “_that_ we are punished and talked to for: but the fines are only for bad habits.” “Oh! I hope I sha’n’t have any this week,” sighed Susan. “You may hope,” said Sam. “You’re sure of them for everything possible except crying.” “Yes, Bessie gets all the crying fines,” said Hal; “and I hope she’ll have lots, because she won’t help the pig.” Bessie started up from her place and rushed out of the room; while Miss Fosbrook indignantly exclaimed, “Really, boys, I can’t think how you can be so ill-natured!” They looked up as though it were quite a new light to them; and Susan exclaimed, “Oh, Miss Fosbrook! they don’t mean it: Sam and Hal never were ill-natured in their lives.” “I don’t know what you call ill-natured,” said Miss Fosbrook, “unless it is saying the very things most likely to vex another.” “I don’t mean to vex anybody,” said Henry, “only we always go on so, and nobody is such a baby as to mind, except Bessie.” And Sam muttered, “One can’t be always picking one’s words.”