“When I cried,” said Elizabeth, hanging down her head; “I couldn’t help it. It did seem so tiresome here, and she said I was learning to be discontented; but nobody can help wishing, can they?” “There must be a way of not breaking the Tenth Commandment.” “I don’t covet; I don’t want to take things away from Ida, only to have the same.” “Yes; but what does the explanation at the end of the Duty to our Neighbour say, filling out that Commandment?” “I think I’ll go and see what Susie is doing,” said Elizabeth. Christabel sighed as the little girl walked off, displeased at having her repinings set before her in a graver light than that in which she had hitherto chosen to regard them. She saw no more of her charges till tea-time, when the bell brought them from different quarters, Johnnie with such a grimy collar and dirty hands, that he was a very un-Sunday-like figure, and she would have sent him away to make himself decent, but that she was desirous of not over-tormenting him. Sunday was always celebrated by having treacle with the bread, so the butter riot was happily escaped; and Bessie was not in a gracious mood, and the corners of her mouth provoked the boys to begin on what they knew would make her afford them sport. Hal first: “I say, Bet, didn’t Purday want his gun to-day at church?” Elizabeth put out her lip in expectation that something unpleasant was intended, and other voices were not slow to ask an explanation. “Shooting the cocky-olly birds!” A general explosion of laughter. “I say (always the preface to the boy’s wit), shall I get a jay down off the barn to stick into your hat, Betty?” “Don’t, Hal,” said such a deplorable offended voice, that Sam, who had really held his tongue at first, could not help chiming in, “No, no; a cock-sparrow, for her London manners.” “No, that’s for me, Sam,” said Christabel good-humouredly. “A London-bred sparrow; a pert forward chit.” She really had found a safety-valve; the boys were entertained, and diverted from their attack on their favourite victim, by finding everyone an appropriate bird; and when they came to “Tomtits” and “Dishwashers,” were so astonished at Miss Fosbrook’s never having seen either, that they instantly fell into the greatest haste to finish their tea, and conduct her into the garden, and through a course of birds, eggs, and nests, about which, as soon as she was assured that there was to be no bird’s-nesting, she was very eager. Bessie ought to have been thankful that her persecutors were called off, but she was in a dismal mood, and was taken with a fit of displeasure that her own Christabel Angela was following the rabble rout into the garden, instead of staying in the school-room at her service.