?
Flaxie meant to find out.

[Illustration: Flaxie Frizzle.]

"Do you love me, mamma?" said she, beating her mug against her red
waiter.

"When you are a good girl, Flaxie."

"Well, look right in my eyes, mamma. Don't you see I _are_ a good girl?
And _mayn't_ I go a-riding?"

"Eat your dinner, Mary Gray, and don't talk."

Her mother never called her Mary Gray except when she was troublesome.

"I want to tell you sumpin, mamma," whispered she, bending forward and
almost scalding herself against the teapot, "I _won't_ talk; I won't
talk _a_ tall."

But it was of no use. Mrs. Willard was not fond of little girls, and
Mrs. Gray would not take Flaxie; she must stay at home with her sister
Ninny.

Now Ninny--or Julia--was almost ten years old, a dear, good, patient
little girl, who bore with Flaxie's naughtiness, and hardly ever
complained. But this afternoon, at four o'clock, her best friend, Eva
Snow, was coming, and Ninny did hope that by that time her mamma would
be at home again!

Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Willard rode off in the carriage; and the moment they
were gone, Flaxie began to frisk like a wild creature.

First she ran out to the gate, and screamed to a man going by,--

"How d'ye do, Mr. Man? You _mustn't_ smoke! My mamma don't like it!"

"Oh, why _did_ you do that?" said Ninny, her face covered with blushes,
as she darted after Flaxie, and brought her into the house.

"Well, then, show me your new picture-book, and I won't."

As long as she was looking at pictures she was out of mischief, and
Ninny turned the leaves very patiently.

But soon the cat came into the room with the new kitten in her mouth,
and then Flaxie screamed with terror. She thought the cat was eating it
up for a mouse; but instead of that she dropped it gently on the sofa,
purring, and looking at the two little girls as if to say,--

"Isn't it a nice baby?"

Flaxie thought it was; you could see that by the way she kissed it. But
when she picked it up and marched about with it, the old cat mewed
fearfully.

"Put it down," said Ninny. "Don't you see how bad you make its mother
feel?"

"No. I's goin' to carry it over the bridge, and show it to my grandma;
she wants to see this kitty."

Ninny looked troubled. She hardly dared say Flaxie must not go, for fear
that would make her want to go all the more.

"What a funny spot kitty has on its face," said she, "white all over;
with a yellow star on its forehead."

"Well," said