3. The glorious sky, embracing all, Is like the Maker's love, Wherewith encompassed, great and small 4. Two worlds are ours; 't is only sin The mystic heaven and earth within, 5. Thou who hast given us eyes to see Give us a heart to find out Thee, And read Thee everywhere! Im-parts'. Gives; reveals; makes | En-com'passed. Encircled; surround known. Lore. Learning; knowledge. ed. Des'cry. Discover; find out. Em-brac'ing. Taking in; enclosing. Mys'tic. Secret; obscure. "I HOPE the lady will see to me," he thought, and gave a timid rap with the great bronze knocker. A rosyfaced servant-maid opened the door, and smiled as she took the letter which he silently offered. 2. She seemed used to receiving strange boys, for she pointed to a seat in the hall, and said, with a nod, "Sit there, while I take this in to mistress." 3. Nat found plenty to amuse him while he waited, and stared about him curiously, enjoying the view, yet glad to do so unobserved in the dusky recess by the door. 4. The house seemed swarming with boys, who were beguiling the rainy twilight with all sorts of amusements. There were boys everywhere, "up-stairs and down-stairs and in the lady's chamber," apparently, for various open doors showed pleasant groups of big boys, little boys, and middle-sized boys. 5. Two large rooms on the right were evidently schoolrooms, for desks, maps, blackboards, and books were scattered about. An open fire burned on the hearth, and several indolent lads lay on their backs before it, discussing a new cricket-ground with such animation that their boots waved in the air. A tall youth was practising on the flute in one corner, quite undisturbed by the racket all about him. 6. In the room on the left a long supper-table was seen, set forth with great pitchers of new milk, piles of brown and white bread, and perfect stacks of the shiny gingerbread so dear to boyish souls. A flavor of toast was in the air, also suggestions of baked apples, very tantalizing to one hungry little nose and stomach. 7. The hall, however, presented the most inviting prospect of all for a brisk game of tag was going on in the upper entry; one landing was devoted to tops, the other to checkers; while the stairs were occupied by a boy reading, a girl singing lullaby to her doll, two puppies, a kitten, and a constant succession of small boys sliding down the balusters, to the great detriment of their clothes and danger to their limbs. 8. So absorbed did Nat become in this exciting race, that he ventured farther and farther out of his corner; and when one very lively boy came down so swiftly that he could not stop himself, but fell off the baluster with a crash that would have broken any head but one rendered nearly as hard as a cannon-ball by eleven years of constant bumping, Nat forgot himself, and ran up to the fallen rider, expecting to find him half dead. The boy, however, only winked rapidly for a second, and then lay calmly looking up at the new face with a surprised "Halloo !" 9. "Halloo!" retorted Nat, not knowing what else to say, and thinking that form of reply both brief and easy. 10. "Are you a new boy?" asked the recumbent youth, without stirring. 11. "Don't know yet." 12. "What's your name?" 14. "Mine's Tommy Bangs. Come up and have a slide, will you?" And Tommy sprang upon his legs like one suddenly remembering the duties of hospitality. 15. "I think I won't, till I see whether I'm going to stay or not," returned Nat, feeling the desire to stay increase every moment. 16. "I say, Demi, here's a new one. Come and see to him." And the lively Thomas returned to his sport with unabated relish. 17. At his call, the boy reading on the stairs looked up with a pair of big brown eyes, and after an instant's pause, as if a little shy, he put the book under his arm, and came soberly down to greet the new-comer, who found something very attractive in the pleasant face of this slender, mildeyed boy. 18. "Have you seen Aunt Jo?" he asked, as if that was some sort of important ceremony. 19. "I haven't seen anybody yet but you boys; I'm waiting," answered Nat. 20. "Did Uncle Laurie send you?" proceeded Demi, politely, but gravely. 21. "Mr. Laurence did." 22. "He is Uncle Laurie; and he always sends nice boys." 23. Nat looked gratified at the remark, and smiled in a way that made his thin face very pleasant. He did not know what to say next, so the two stood staring at each other in friendly silence till the little girl came up with her doll in her arms. She was very like Demi, only not so tall, and had a rounder, rosier face, and blue eyes. 24. "This is my sister Daisy," announced Demi, as if presenting a rare and precious creature. 25. The children nodded to one another; and the little girl's face dimpled with pleasure, as she said, affably, 26. "I hope you'll stay. We have such good times here; don't we, Demi ?" 27. "Of course we do; that's what Aunt Jo has Plumfield for." 28. "It seems a very nice place indeed," observed Nat, feeling that he must respond to these amiable young persons. 29. "It's the nicest place in the world; is n't it, Demi?" said Daisy, who evidently regarded her brother as authority on all subjects. 30. "No; I think Greenland, where the icebergs and seals are, is more interesting. But I'm fond of Plumfield, and it is a very nice place to be in," returned Demi, who was interested just now in a book on Greenland. He was about to offer to show Nat the pictures and explain them, when the servant returned, saying, with a nod towards the parlor door, 31. "All right; you are to stop." |