68 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



"/see very plainly, mistress, that you are going 

 hunting, and it is for something that you don't 

 wish me to see." And Waddles put on his sad- 

 dest expression. But it was of no use; the door 

 of the woodhouse closed, and his feelings were 

 doubly injured by hearing the key turned. Then 

 Tommy-Anne's feet went patter, patter down the 

 road as she ran to join Obi, who had been waiting 

 for her by the turnpike bridge for some time. 



"Do not run so fast, little daughter," called 

 her father, from the study window ; " you have 

 plenty of time. Obi has earned a whole holiday, 

 and your mother has given him a basket of lunch- 

 eon for you both." 



Tommy- Anne instantly rushed to the window, 

 and threw handf uls of kisses, calling, " You dear, 

 dear father-mother ! " 



She had often used this term, when she spoke 

 of her father and mother at the same time, ever 

 since one day, when she was a very small child, 

 some foolish person had asked her which she 

 loved best, her father or her mother ; when she 

 answered indignantly, "Which? they aren't a 

 which ; father-mother is the same person ! " 



" See the tadpoles," said Obi, who was kneeling 

 by the pool above the bridge, and watching some 



