"If you will look again at the dog-fish, and tell me the expression of its mouth, I may be able to answer you," she returned. "I will," said Vavasor; and, betaking himself to a farther portion of the tank, he stood there watching a little shoal of those sharks of the northern seas. While he was gone Cornelius rejoined them. "I wish I knew why God made such ugly creatures," said Saffy to Mark. The boy gave a curious half-sad smile, without turning his eyes from the thornback, and said nothing. "Do you know why God made any creatures, pet?" said Hester. "No, I don't. Why did he, Hessy?" "I am almost afraid to guess. But if you don't know why he made any, why should you wonder that he made those?" "Because they are so ugly.--Do tell me why he made them?" she added coaxingly. "You had better ask mamma." "But, Hessy, I don't like to ask mamma." "Why don't you like to ask mamma, you little goose?" "Because," said Saffy, who was all the time holding her mother's hand, and knew she was hearing her, "mamma mightn't know what to say." Hester thought with herself, "I am sometimes afraid to pray lest I should have no answer!" The mother's face turned down toward her little one. "And what if I shouldn't know what to say, darling?" she asked. "I feel so awkward when Miss Merton asks me a question I can't answer," said the child. "And you are afraid of making mamma feel awkward? You pet!" said Hester. Cornelius burst into a great laugh, and Saffy into silent tears, for she thought she had made a fool of herself. She was not a priggish child, and did not deserve the mockery with which her barbarian brother invaded her little temple. She was such a true child that her mother was her neighbor, and present to all her being--not her eyes only or her brain, but her heart and spirit as well. The mother led her aside to a seat, saying, "Come, darling; we must look into this, and try to understand it. Let me see--what is it we have got to understand? I think it is this--why you should be ashamed when you cannot answer the questions of one who knows so much more than you, and I should not be ashamed when I cannot answer the questions of my own little girl who knows so much less that I do. Is that it?" "I don't know," sobbed Saffy. "You shouldn't laugh at her, Corney: it hurts her!" said Hester. "The little fool! How could that hurt her? It's nothing but temper!" said Cornelius with vexation. He was not vexed that he had made her cry, but vexed that she cried. "You should have a little more sympathy with childhood, Cornelius," said his father. "You used to be angry enough when you were laughed at." "I was a fool then myself!" answered Cornelius sulkily. He said no more, and his father put the best interpretation upon his speech. "Do you remember, Hester," he said, "how you were always ready to cry when I told you I did not know something you had asked me?"