Our Gentleman Boarder 



young gentleman is here ; " and at last, hot 

 as it was, Fred strolled sulkily down to the 

 beach. But I, having been already 

 washed, brushed, and befrilled, and put 

 into my best breeches, was bidden stay at 

 home, as no one would have time to put 

 me straight again later. I had on white 

 nankeen trousers which, as the fashion for 

 little boys then was, came up so high, I 

 could, with a slight effort, lick the white 

 bone button that came through my brace. 

 After one glance of envy at Fred as he 

 went out happy in the freedom of old 

 clothes, I resigned myself to making a 

 watch-chain of the cherry-stones I had 

 been hoarding and grinding thin for 

 several weeks ; and then Mary joined me, 

 and sat in a rocking-chair, and hemmed a 

 muslin blind for the gentleman boarder's 

 window. 



The crreat clock in the Pavilion tower 

 suddenly sounded on the hot drowsy air. 



"Run, Harry," said Mary, "and see if 

 Mother and Sukie are coming, and if you 

 can carry anything for them : it is three 

 already." 



I clambered off my chair, and ran 



through the office, and met Mother and 



Sukie with full baskets coming up the 



steps. My Mother looked hot, and a little 



io8 



