CHAPTER XVI.

"WHEN THE DEVIL DRIVES."

Monsieur de Vivonne had laid his ambuscade with discretion. With a closed carriage and a band of chosen ruffians he had left the palace a good half-hour before the king's messengers, and by the aid of his sister's gold he had managed that their journey should not be a very rapid one. On reaching the branch road he had ordered the coachman to drive some little distance along it, and had tethered all the horses to a fence under his charge. He had then stationed one of the band as a sentinel some distance up the main highway to flash a light when the two courtiers were approaching. A stout cord had been fastened eighteen inches from the ground to the trunk of a wayside sapling, and on receiving the signal the other end was tied to a gate-post upon the further side. The two cavaliers could not possibly see it, coming as it did at the very curve of the road, and as a consequence their horses fell heavily to the ground, and brought them down with them. In an instant the dozen ruffians who had lurked in the shadow of the trees sprang out upon them, sword in hand; but there was no movement from either of their victims. De Catinat lay breathing heavily, one leg under his horse's neck, and the blood trickling in a thin stream down his pale face, and falling, drop by drop, on to his silver shoulder-straps. Amos Green was unwounded, but his injured girth had given way in the fall, and he had been hurled from his horse on to the hard road with a violence which had driven every particle of breath from his body. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What was the driver ordered to do?
2. where?
3. Who was travelling?
4. and?
5. Where we they coming from?
6. Did they travel quickly?
7. Who approached the travellers?
8. Did they mean the travellers harm?
9. Did the two parties meet amicably?
10. How many swordarms were there?
11. Did the stricken horsemen fight back?
12. What were the horsemen's names?
13. and?
14. How were the horsemen brought down?
15. Had Green any air in his lungs?
Answer: 1. drive some little distance
2. along the branch road
3. Monsieur de Vivonne
4. a band of chosen ruffians
5. the palace
6. no
7. two courtiers
8. unknown
9. no
10. a dozen
11. no
12. De Catinat
13. Amos Green
14. A stout cord had been fastened eighteen inches from the ground
15. no

CHAPTER XXVI. MOONSHINE.

But still the lady shook her head, And swore by yea and nay My whole was all that he had said, And all that he could say. W. M. Praed.

Mrs. Brownlow had intended to go at once to London on her return to England, but the joint entreaties of Armine and Barbara prevailed on her to give them one week at Belforest, now in that early spring beauty in which they had first seen it.

How delightful the arrival was! Easter had been very late, so it was the last week of the vacation, and dear old Friar John's handsome face was the first thing they saw at the station, and then his father's portly form, with a tall pretty creature on each side of him, causing Babie to fall back with a cry of glad amazement, "Oh! Essie and Ellie! Such women!"

Then the train stopped, and there was a tumult of embracings and welcomes, in the midst of which Jock appeared, having just come by the down train.

"You'll all come to dinner this evening?" entreated Caroline. "My love to Ellen. Tell her you must all of you come."

It was a most delightsome barouche full that drove from the station. Jock took the reins, and turned over coachman and footman to the break, and in defiance of dignity, his mother herself sprang up beside him. The sky was blue, the hedges were budding with pure light-green above, and resplendent with rosy campion and white spangles of stitchwort below. Stars of anemone, smiling bunches of primrose, and azure clouds of bluebell made the young hearts leap as at that first memorable sight. Armine said he was ready to hurrah and throw up his hat, and though Elvira declared that she saw nothing to be so delighted about, they only laughed at her. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Was had planned a stop to London?
2. when?
3. to where?
4. why didn't she?
5. for what?
6. what season is it?
7. what season is near?
8. who did they see at the station?
9. who else?
10. when were they at the station?
11. how were the two females described?
12. who was happy to see them?
13. what was the reaction?
14. and said what?
15. who took control of the reins?
16. and did what?
17. was the weather nice?
18. who was ready to celebrate?
19. what did he want to toss?
20. Who disagreed with him?
Answer: 1. Mrs. Brownlow
2. on her return
3. England
4. the joint entreaties of Armine and Barbara prevailed on her
5. to give them one week at Belforest
6. spring
7. Easter
8. Friar John
9. Essie and Ellie
10. the last week of the vacation
11. as tall pretty creatures
12. Babie
13. to fall back with a cry of glad amazement
14. "Oh! Essie and Ellie! Such women!"
15. Jock
16. turned over coachman and footman
17. yes
18. Armine
19. his hat
20. Elvira

Jamey really wanted a pet dog, so he went to ask his parents.

"Mom, Dad, can I we get a dog?"

Jamey's mom and dad thought about this, and then answered him.

"Having a pet can be a lot of work, Jamey. When you own a dog, you have to feed him, and take him for walks, and clean up after him. You even have to do those things when you would rather be playing or watching TV. If you promise to help take care of him, we'll get a dog."

Jamey was very happy to hear this! The next weekend, his mom and dad took him to a big building where puppies and kittens without homes were kept. It was very noisy inside! Jamey looked at a big yellow dog first.

"This dog is pretty big, Jamey," his father said. "He might need a bigger yard to run around in than we have."

Jamey thought that Dad was right about that. The next dog Jamey looked at was a very small white dog. It barked over and over again as Jamey and his mother looked at it.

"This dog is very noisy Jamey. He might need a lot of attention from you. Do you think you want to give this puppy that much attention?"

Jamey wasn't sure he could give the little white dog all the time it needed to be happy. Finally Jamey looked at a third dog, a brown dog that was bigger than the white dog, but smaller than the yellow one. The dog came over to Jamey right away and seemed to love to be petted and fussed over.

"Do you like the brown dog?" asked Jamey's dad.

"Yes!" said Jamey. "Can we get him?"

"Will you feed him and walk him every afternoon when you get home from school?" asked Jamey's mom.

"I promise," said Jamey.

"In that case, I guess we have a dog!"

This made Jamey very happy. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who wanted a dog?
2. Are they a boy or a girl?
3. Who took him to get a dog?
4. When did they go to get the dog?
5. Was it a quiet place?
6. What dog did he pick out first?
7. And second?
8. Why did he decide against the second dog?
9. What dog did he pick?
10. Was he smaller than the second dog?
Answer:
1. Jamey
2. boy
3. his mom and dad
4. next weekend
5. no
6. big yellow dog
7. small white dog
8. He might need a lot of attention
9. brown dog
10. yes