and were therefore considered the heads of their respective parties. That of Beatrice was to hide first. The seekers, who allowed plenty of time before they started on their search, were very successful, everybody was caught except Wentworth.

Next time, however, the search was more difficult. Minna and Stuart were nowhere to be found; all the others were caught or 66 came home," one by one; still there was no sign of Minna or her little companion. Anne had a chair on the broad landing-place, from whence she could watch the game, and she became quite excited as the interest increased.

Beatrice returned from a fruitless search, and was going off again in another direction, when she was stopped by hearing Anne's voice in angry expostulation. "No, you shall not! It's very unfair. I'll tell Beatrice."

"What's the matter?" said the last-named personage, reappearing suddenly.

"Why, Geraldine wants to go away and help Minna. Is it fair? Ought she not to stay here now she is caught?"

"Of course," said Beatrice, hastily, "keep her. Geraldine, I am surprised at you.”

And Beatrice again set off on her search. Geraldine sat down on the floor, looking puzzled and unhappy, and cast an anxious glance now and then down one of the passages. Suddenly her face grew cheerful again, and Minna appeared, closely followed by Stuart, his bright cheeks flushed with excitement. Anne was talking to Miss Forbes, and did not see Minna till she was pretty near. Then she shouted, "Oh, Beatrice !— here's Minna!" But Minna was too quick for them. Miss Forbes, recollecting the duties of the game, flew to

intercept her entrance, but Minna was safe before she reached her, and little Stuart shouted "Home" in a voice of triumph.

"Where can you have been, Minna? I have looked everywhere," said Beatrice.

"Yes, where have you been?" said Winifred.

66

Oh, I shall not reveal my hiding-place as it is such a good one."

"Stuart," said Beatrice, "where did you hide ?”
“Wiv Minna,” was the concise reply.

"But where, darling?" asked Winifred, coaxingly, with a sly glance at Minna.

air.

"Sha'n't tell," said the little boy, with an important

"Well done! show them you can keep a secret," cried Herbert. "Now, then, be off, Beatrice and Winifred; we are coming directly."

66

Oh, no; give us time.”

Very well. Be quick; we will count a hundred. One-two-they are gone now. Minna, do tell me where you hid ?"

66

'No, no; a secret is no secret if everybody knows it, so we will keep it to ourselves," and she pressed the hand of Geraldine, who stood on the other side of her.

"I have counted a hundred," said Anne, may start now.".

66

so you

They were soon ardently engaged in the pursuit. This time it was Winifred who escaped; and Beatrice, having again been caught, expressed her determination not to let Minna get home again safe, even if she betook herself once more to her wonderful hiding-place. But when Minna's party had all been hidden, and most of them were discovered; and after the peals of

laughter that hailed Winifred's detection of Herbert (ensconced in the soft pillows in an immense spare bed, and covered with a heavy counterpane) had in some degree subsided, there was a general exclamation"Where can Minna be?"

"I will find her," said Beatrice; "she is gone to that wonderful place of hers, of course. No, no, Miss Geraldine," added she, observing an expression she did not understand on the little girl's face, "you don't go and help her; Anne, you must watch Geraldine, and I will find Minna, if she can be found."

Beatrice and Winifred disappeared, leaving Miss Forbes to watch near home.

A long time elapsed. Herbert whistled impatiently, talked, sang, and wished Minna would come, it was so stupid hiding so long. At this speech Geraldine looked up quickly, but Anne was watching her, and she looked away again. A few minutes more passed, and then Geraldine seeing Anne engaged in playing cat's cradles with Herbert, who had produced a piece of string from his pocket, rose quietly, and was out of sight before Anne missed her; she flew down a long passage, and was just stopping to listen cautiously before opening a door at the end of it, when she heard her name pronounced in a tone of indignant surprise, and Beatrice seized her by the arm.

"How dare you cheat so, Geraldine !-going to tell Minna we were all out of the way."

"No, I was not going for that; but do let me go, I really must."

"You really must play unfairly! I never heard such a thing; go back directly; I shall certainly tell Miss Forbes."

"But Beatrice, Minna――.”

There, you said you were not going to help her, and now it comes out. People who play unfairly can't be expected to speak truth."

"It is truth, and I tell you if you don't let me explain you will be sorry," said Geraldine, passionately, "for Minna-—.”

"Nonsense! go away;" said Beatrice, now very "and don't threaten me with Minna; be sorry, angry, indeed; I am very sorry you are so dishonest; no, go away, you are keeping me on purpose now, I daresay, to give Minna time to get home."

Geraldine began to cry, and hastily returned to Anne, who met her with new reproaches. Geraldine asked where Miss Forbes was, and said she must speak to her, but Anne and Herbert refused to allow her to follow Miss Forbes, who was gone to help in the useless search.

On this Geraldine raised her voice, and called Miss Forbes as loud as she could, but was instantly stopped by Herbert, who placed his hand on her mouth, saying she should not call Miss Forbes away just to let Minna escape; and that he really would not play with Geraldine again, and he was quite sure Minna would not when she knew how ill she had behaved.

Geraldine burst into passionate tears.

"She can't get out," sobbed she, " and it will be all your fault; and I promised. I will tell Miss Forbes," and she again screamed for her governess as loudly as she could.

"Can't get out," said Herbert, surprised; "what do you mean?"

But Miss Forbes had heard Geraldine's voice, and

now came hastily forward.

is the matter?"

"Geraldine crying! what

"Oh, Miss Forbes, I promised Minna I would let her out, and they won't let me go, and she can't get

out, and——.”

"Out, my dear! where is she?"

Geraldine whispered a few words.

Miss Forbes

uttered a hasty exclamation, and was gone.

In ano

ther moment they heard her calling Geraldine, and the little girl followed her unopposed by her two vigilant guards.

"What did Geraldine say, Herbert ?"

up some

"I don't know, only it seems Minna is shut where, and she was to have opened the door." "What a bad plan," said Anne, "but I wish we had let her go."

"Yes; but she did not explain what she wanted. Hark! that's Minna's voice; here they come. Stuart crying! what a wonder!" and Herbert ran forward and met Miss Forbes, who was coming quickly along the passage with little Stuart in her arms. He had been crying, and was now with a mournful voice giving an account of the cause of his tears. From this and the more lucid explanation given by Minna (to whose hand Geraldine was clinging as to a recovered treasure), it appeared that Minna had chosen for her hiding-place a very large box or chest, whose lid did not close, being prevented by the lock having been turned while the box was open; Minna had got into it with Stuart, by Geraldine's assistance, and it was agreed that Geraldine should come and help them out if they did not appear soon after the search began.

The first time of hiding, Minna was able to push up