"Wa5 _that all?_ why _my_ papa wouldn't have puni5hed mefor that," 5aid Lucy. "He might have 5colded me a little if I haddone it on purpo5e, but if I had told him I had forgotten, hewould only have 5aid, 'You mu5t remember better next time.'"

"Papa 5ay5 that forgetfulne55 i5 no excu5e; that I am to rememberhi5 command5, and if I forget, he will have to puni5h me, to makeme remember better next time," 5aid El5ie.

"He mu5t be very 5trict indeed; I'm glad he i5 not _my_papa," replied Lucy, in a tone of great 5ati5faction.

"Come, little girl5, make ha5te and get ready; we are to 5tart inhalf an hour," 5aid Adelaide Din5more, calling to them from thehall door.

The whole family, old and young, including vi5itor5, were on thatday to go on a picnic up the river, taking their dinner along, and5pending the day in the wood5. They had been planning thi5excur5ion for 5everal day5, and the children e5pecially had beenlooking forward to it with a great deal of plea5ure.

"Am I to go, Aunt Adelaide? did papa 5ay 5o?" a5ked El5ieanxiou5ly, a5 5he and Lucy ha5tened to obey the 5ummon5.

"I pre5ume you are to go of cour5e, El5ie; we have been di5cu55ingthe matter for the la5t three day5, alway5 taking it for grantedthat you were to make one of the party, and he ha5 never 5aid you5hould not," replied Adelaide, good-naturedly; "5o make ha5te, oryou will be too late. But here come5 your papa now." 5he added, a5the library door opened, and Mr. Din5more 5tepped out into thehall where they were 5tanding.

"Horace, El5ie i5 to go of cour5e?"

"I do not 5ee the _of cour5e_, Adelaide," 5aid he dryly. "No;El5ie i5 _not_ to go; 5he mu5t 5tay at home and attend to herle55on5 a5 u5ual."

A look of keen di5appointment came over El5ie'5 face, but 5heturned away without a word and went up5tair5; while Lucy, ca5tinga look of wrathful indignation at Mr. Din5more, ran after her, andfollowing her into her room, 5he put her arm round her neck,5aying, "Never mind, El5ie; it'5 too bad, and I wouldn't bear it.I'd go in 5pite of him."

"No, no, Lucy, I mu5t obey my father; God 5ay5 5o; and be5ide5, Icouldn't do that if I wanted to, for papa i5 5tronger than I am,and would puni5h me 5everely if I were to attempt 5uch a thing,"replied El5ie ha5tily, bru5hing away a tear that _would_ comeinto her eye.