Milly and Olly

mma's

Table of

took the children up a little shady path which very soon brought

"and she owns a small boy who might perhaps find you a pai

t the idea of wearing some other littl

door, and out came a s

ile we get his own washed? Master Olly has been tumbling into a bog by way of making friends

oud if he's got any clean, but I'll

it and rocking the baby. This was Johnny, and Olly looked at him with great curiosity. "I've got bigger legs than Johnny," he

said Aunt Emma, very solemnly too, "However, most likely

e little boy, smiling at her. Milly and Oll

g care of her all th

never cried but once,

. Tyson. Now, Olly, sit up on t

Olly very much. They were very thick, and not a bit like his own stockings; and when he got

g his shoulder. "Never you mind, little master; I kn

hop," said Olly, when they got outs

themselves. Some of them live in such lonely places among the mountains that it is very difficult for them to get to any shops. Not very long ago the mothers used t

w dresses," said Milly, gravely, shaking

t to like what we've got,

nd dried by the time they had to go home, and then, when Mrs. Norton had covered up the black spot

nd uncles, and their great-aunts and uncles before that, had loved and played with years and years ago. On the wall hung a great many pictures, some of them of funny little stiff boys in blue coats with brass buttons, and some of them of little girls with mob-caps and mittens, and these little boys and girls were all either dead now, or elderly men and women, for they were the great-aunts and uncles; and over the mantelpiece hung a picture of a lovely old lady, with bright, soft brown hair and smiling

ou, little woman?" said Aunt E

"it's great-grandmamma. I

of that sofa over there, in 'grandmamma's pocket,' as she used to call it, listening with all her ears to great-grandmamma's stories. There was one story called 'Leonora' that went on for years and years, till all the little children in it-and the little chi

toys in it that father had when he was a little boy. She lets u

rquake," cried Olly, running up

then we'll see. After dinner to-day, what do you think we're going to do? Suppose we have a row on the lake to get water-lilies,

the door, and when Aunt Emma said, "Come in!" what do you think appeared? Why, a great green cage, carried by a servant, and in i

e in this big house. Not at all. Here is somebody who talks to me when I talk to him, who sings and chatters and whistles and cheers me up wonderfully in the winter evenings, whe

lly, looking at it wit

s are contradictious birds. I feel very often as if I should like

in such a funny cracked voice, that it made Olly jump as if he

fingers very much." Olly put his hands behind his back in a great hurry, and mother came to stand behind him to keep him quiet. By this time, however, Polly had begun to find out that there were some new pe

hat a cross parrot you are. One-t

Polly again while Aunt Emma was speaking. "O

her as if he were marching, while the children shouted with

the table. The parrot stopped marching, stuck his he

softly, as if he had turned into quite anot

may have a mouse if she likes. Is that all y

s feathers began to stand up straight, and his eye

unt Emma; "he can't bear gardener. Co

. "Don't you think, Aunt Emma, he must have been changed into something? Perhaps he was

But I believe he's very old. Some people say he's older than I am-think of that! So you see he's had time to be

maid lifted up the cage again. "Mak

sn't like cats, so you see he tries to make Jane believe that our old cat steals the meat out of the la

aid Olly, jumping about round h

ked his mother, kissing him. "Perhaps you'll want to take home a few mountains,

sently there were two tidy little folks sitting on either side of Aunt Emma's chair, and thinking to themselves that they had never felt quite so hungry before. But hu

t a little rim of white beach, and then beyond came the wide, dancing blue lake, that the children had seen from the top of

that little house down there by the water's edge? That's where the boat lives-we

etimes, very. Mother calls me a little goose because I run away from Jenny sometimes-that's ou

" said Aunt Emma, laughing, "so perhaps

p thinking of the times when she was a little girl, and used always to insist on sitting by Aunt Emma at dinner-time. That was before Aunt Emma's hair had turned gray.

m leave to turn out everything in one of the toy-drawers, and that kept them busy and happy for a long time. But at last, just when Olly was beginning to get tired of the drawer, Aun

chen table, "suppose you help me to pack up our tea-things. Olly, yo

, and the children brought them one after another to

Olly proudly, coming up laden with a big

hat bit of butter over there, done up in the green leaves, but mind you carry it carefully. Now for some knives too; and there are the cups and saucers, Milly, look, in that corner; and there is

eping up close to her, "were

e me better if I had a wand and a pair of

's hand, "but you do such nice thin

hildren. But now come along, it's quite time we were off. Let us

round the boathouse stretched the beautiful blue water, so clear and sunny and sparkling that it dazzled Milly's eyes to look at it. She and Olly were lifted into the boat beside Aunt Emma and mother, father sat in the middle and took the oar

outed Olly, "there's the mountain. Isn'

some trees, and in front, Aunt Emma's house with the lawn and the boathouse. And as they looked all round them they could see far bigger and grander mountains than Brownholme, some near and green like Brownholme, and some far away and blue like the sky, while down by

er?" whispered Milly, presently, looking down into

us a story about a king in olden times whom the water-fairies loved; she used to tell it to me when I was small, and I liked it

ow, father,"

and find out how to manage her, but presently you s

ll Aunt Emma's house began to look quite small, and t

come," cried Milly, looking all

s to make her go over to that side of the lake over there. Do you see a

e children, lo

I would bring you right out into the middle of the lake, that you might see how big it is, and look at the mountains all round." "Father," said O

ry mother, and Aunt Emma, and Milly, and you on my back,

" said Milly, feeling just a little

h something white tied to it. And I rowed, and rowed, and rowed, as fast as I could, and all the time the shouting and screaming went on, and at last what do you think I saw? I saw a boat, which looked as if something was dragging it down into the water. Part of it had already sunk down into the lake, and in the part which was still above the water there were three people

at made their boat do like tha

their boat against a sharp rock-in some parts of the lake there are rocks under the water which you can't see-and the rock had made the hole; but other people thought it had happened in some other way. However, there they were, and when I took them all into my boat you never saw such miserable lit

afe home to their mother, didn't

I got a little parcel one morning, and what do you think was in it? Why, two photographs of the same little girls, looking so neat and tidy and happy, I could hardly believe they were r

rocks," said Milly, whose thoughts

good deal more about this lake than those little girls' fath

his seat, where he let him put his two small paws on one of the oars, and try what he could do with it. Mr. N

s little face flushed with pleasure and excitement. "Y

e-wheel," said his fa

that mean

look, children, how close we are coming to the shore.

the water, not very far from the edge. What were those great white and gold things shining am

e of those leaves that the old toad put little Tiny in my fairy-book, don't you remember? Only the little fishes

ok long enough. This is a very strange country. But now, Milly, look out for the lili

beginning to unclose. But what slippery stalks they had. Aunt Emma held Milly, and father held Olly, while they dived their hands under the water and pulled hard. And some of the lilies came out with such short bits of stalk you could scarcely hold them, and sometimes, flop! out ca

ere!" pleaded Milly, who could not

w. If we don't make haste and have our tea, w

the beautiful lilies were left behind. I told you, to begin with, that Milly was ready to cry ofte

cks to make my fire?" she sai

at once, and out came Milly's smiles a

ing to lay th

re! w

g to hand the b

Milly, "and Olly s

g to eat the br

Milly added, "Father will want a big

ll this rowing," said Mr. Norton.

p on a tall piece o

t on to a big stone, then on to the shore, and with one great pull he brought the boat in till it was c

n. In the middle of the bit of rock there were two or three trees standing up together, birch trees with silvery stems, and on every side but one there was shallow brown water, so clear that they could see every stone at the bottom. And when they looked away across the lake, there were the grand old mountains pushing their heads into the clouds o

de of stones, and in front of it a round green bit of grass, w

as she and mother and Mr. Norton brought up the ba

me. It was Uncle Richard's idea, and we had such fun building it up. The little ones brought the stones; and the big ones piled them together till you see we made quite a nice fireplace. And it has lasted ever since. Whenever

dry sticks and dry fern under the trees. Milly filled her cotton frock full, and gathered it up with both her hands; w

let me break it for you." Father broke it up into short lengths, and then off ran Olly with his little skirts full to Aunt Emm

crackle away when Aunt Emma put a match to them. Puff! puff! out came the smoke;

a?" said Olly, out of breath with draggi

he wood with his bundle. "Now, Olly, let me just put yo

omp among the heather till Mr. Norton caught him, and car

mma, shall I

it straight on him, and it's just boiling beautifull

tea-things," cried Milly, who was laying the cl

," said his father

heaped the wood on the fire, and kept the kettle

h corner of the cloth to keep it down, and prevent the wind from blowing it up, and then th

ing at it presently, with a dissatisfied face, "yo

gotten your water-lilies;

lks in the water, and he put a stone to keep them safe. Oh! that'll be

wn to the edge of the lake. There lay the lilies

said Milly, gathering them up. "Perhaps they

them into a soup-plate, and let them swim about in it. They'll look very nice then. Now, Olly,

they had put the lilies and some fern leaves in the

up with the kettle which had just boiled

oking up from a piece of bread and butter which had kept him quiet for

sn't seem so delightful to grown-up peop

e we shall often have tea out of

in, mother. That old gentleman

ttle girl, there came a funny old fairy and threw some golden dust in her eyes, and ever since then she can't see straight when she comes to the mountains. It's all right ever

r," said Olly, pull

ened her eyes

ee any dus

. Norton, gravely. "Now, Olly, don't you eat

her," said Milly, "you know

tch any crabs, Mill

illy, very much puzzled. "Crabs

d Mr. Norton, "and they're always looking out

ther," said Milly, open

said Mr. Norton, "that alw

Olly, stopping in the middle of a piece of c

do at picnics. Aunt Emma, when are

away," said Aunt Emma, "then Olly shall sin

at fun it was washing the cups and plates in the lake! Aunt Emma and Olly washed, and mother and Milly dried the things on a towel, and then

t basket was fastened down. "I wish you'd let me

soon would you get tired of it, old woman, I wonder? But come along, let's pu

if he were a little musical box, and you had nothing to do but to wind him up. He had a sweet, clear, little voice, and he loo

Hot Cross Buns." "I have singed three whole songs; and now, Au

," said Aunt Emma, "if we

rooks went flying, singing "caw, caw," on their way to bed. And how the sun was turning the water to gold! It seemed to be making a great golden pathway across the

elf was terribly hurt in the fight. And at last, when night came on, there were left only the king and one of his friends-his knights, as they were called. The king was hurt so much that he could not move, and his friend thought he was dying. They were left alone in a rocky desert place, and close by there was a great lake with mountains round it-like this, Olly. It was very cold, and the moon was shining, and the king lay so still that once or twice his friend almost thought that he was dead. But at last, about the middle of the night, he began to speak, and he told his friend to take his sword that was by his side and to go down to the side of the lake and throw it as far as he could into the water. Now, this sword was a magic sword. Long before, the king was once walking beside this lake, when he suddenly saw an arm in a long white sleeve rising out of the lake, and in the hand at the end of it was a splendid sword with a glistenin

othing except the water, and t

s I ask you, now that I am dying and can do nothing for mysel

uld be nothing left, he thought, to remember the king by when he was dead if he threw away the sword; so again he hid it among the rushes, and then he went

me than those who gave me this wound. Go back and throw the swor

and away it went into the lake. And as it fell, up rose a hand and arm in a long white sleeve out of the water, and the hand caught the sword and drew it down under the water. And then

knight told him. Then the king told him to lift him up and carry him on his back d

ss, and Milly pressed Aunt Emm

, sobbing and crying, so that the air was full of a sound of weeping, and in front sat three queens in lon

'and put me into the ship.' And the knight lifted him up, while th

out you?' But the ship began to move away, and the knight was left standing on the shore. On

re. So then he knew that the king had been carried away by the fairies of the lake-the same fairies who had given him the sword

topped and looke

been listening with all her ears, and whose littl

, and was always hoping that the fairies would bring the king agai

ver come agai

n away somewhere by the kind water-fairies, and that some day

n this lake?" whispered Mi

aid Aunt Emma, smiling. "But no, I don't think the ki

is name?" a

rry; there is father putting all the baskets int

the children felt much quieter now than when they started in the afternoon. Milly had curled herself up inside mother's arm, and was thinking a great deal about King Arthur and the fairy ship, while Olly was quite taken up with watching the oars as they dipped i

lilies to look back before they went up to the house. "Good-night, mount

into a carriage which drove them back to Raven

y," she said, as she kissed Milly's little

hugging her with his small arms. "Aunt Emma, I haven't given

me," said Aunt Emma. "G

d though they tried to tell her something about it, she had to wait till next morning be