Year: 1874

crows eggs. Don't you wish these were
| all crows ncsts?"


| That was the last thing Jack said for
some time, because he slipped an egg in
! each cheek, and if he spoke they might
| roll out On the way back Emma lost
| three of her eggs reaching to keep her
| dress out of the water, and Jack stubbcd
| his toe against snag, smashing an egg
in his mouth with the shock. For us
| much as ten minutes after getting back
| to the land they were very low in their
| minds; but Jacks toe stopped bleeding,
he spit out all the added egg. they found
five whole eggs were still left, and by
the time their shoes and stockings were
on they felt better. Mary was so stih
they got up to look for her, and found
| her with her hands full of flowers look
ing in silent wonder at frog. 1t was
not the first frog she had ever seen, but
the biggest. The other two children
were surprised, too, as their eyes went
down his great green back. Mr.. Frog
! sat STILL never said Il word and did not
wink; but seemed to look over and be
yond the children with two large yellow
and green eyes set very high on his head.
He is a foot long" said Emma.
Look at his toes turned in"
Emma had been cured of that habit
with great trouble.


g He is the biggest frog ever seen in
this country, am sure" said J ack, who
had been reading the newspapers. Lets
take him home and SHOW him to father"


The frog was much too dignified to
move when Jack, saying this, slipped
his hand under him. He only laid his
fore foot on his vest, with all the toes
spread out, as if to say: g Young man,
handle that vest with care, and don't
punch me in the stomach"


All the way home the three Arabs kept
saying: :" How surprised father Will be
to see him" And so their father was.
The family were at supper, and the
children went in so oquietly that Mr.. Pratt,
who sat with his back to the door, and
was besides little deaf, did not hear
them at all. Jack was in such a hurry
about the frog that he went up behind his
chair and stretched the hand, with the
giant frog sitting on the palm, over his
fathers shoulder But the frog must
have wanted his supper too, for as soon
as he saw Mr.. Pratt's cup of tea he gave
Il great hop, and landed in it kersplash.
Then it burned his stockings so badly
that he Topped out on the tablecloth and
upset the teacup. To Mr. Pratt, who
had not seen the children, it seemed as
if this green monster had hoped from
nowhere into his tea. He jumped, back,
said Gracious Peter!' in a loud tone,
and, turning round, saw Jack, looking
very scared.


"Did you bring that fellow here:'


"Yes, father. He-he-is so big"
stammered Jack.


"Bigr roared his father. Il should
think he was l should think he had
come straight down from the ten plaques
of Pharoah What did you put him in
my tea for2"


He-hopped. didn't mean to-"


The three Arabs looked badly fright
ened. The rest of the family began to
laugh, and Mr.. Pratt, getting over his
surprise little, began to laugh too.
Then, seeing the frog about to plant him
self in the butter-plate lfe-Seached over
and caught him in the very nick of time,
and put him into Jacks hands, saying;
There Take him out to &C oil his heels.
And you had better keep to birds eggs in
the future"


Matters had been looking so serious
that they were glad to escape with this
slight reproof, and got their suppers with
only the disturbing thought of the flying
sun bonnet. Perhaps it was up in the air
still.


They were tolerably good children,
however, and finished up the day by tell
ing their mother how the bonnet had
been lost Mrs Pratt blamed Jack, be
cause it seemed as if, when the girls
could not think of ways to destroy their
clothes, he could. He was good deal
disturbed that his mother looked at
things in this light; but he was good
hearted Arab, and when he went to bed
made IL resolution that he never would
give his shirt sleeves for adding
again, rs he had few days before while
hunting with his brothers in the woods
Emma made. good resolutions too, and
then the Arabs slept peacefully in their
bpdS-N Y IHdeDeHReHt.