BIRDS' NESTS. 9 



easily ; Joe, thankful to have been spared the 

 disgrace of being taken before a magistrate 

 and the pain of grieving his mother ; Johnson, 

 at having escaped what he expected, and, to say 

 the truth, richly deserved, a good flogging. 



The two brothers walked away hand in 

 hand, the elder looking angry and sulky, and 

 the younger looking inquiringly into his bro- 

 ther's face. But Joe touched his hat, wiping 

 his eyes all the while; and when Mr. Miller 

 smiled on him, showed, by his brightened 

 countenance, that he at least felt neither anger 

 nor sullenness. 



Mr. Miller was pleased to see, too, that he 

 made no attempt to join his companions ; but, 

 though they all lived in the same direction, 

 walked some distance behind. But as they 

 passed along the lane which skirted the orchard, 

 he saw Johnson stop, and heard him say to Joe, 

 in a sneering tone, " Well, there is some good, 

 after all, in having a favourite with you when 

 you are caught out ; for if I had been by myself 



