or woke up, and listened a moment, and
then she said: "Oh, _I_ know what it is! It's those darling dogs!" And
she jumped out of bed and opened the door, and there, sure enough, was
Bounder, dashing right into the room, barking, "Good morning! good
morning!" and big Bruno, looking at Elinor as if saying, "Good morning!
didn't you hear us? It's time to get up!"

Elinor said: "Oh, you beauties! Yes, I know! And I'll get dressed right
away!"

But what do you think happened _then_! Why, Bruno and Bounder didn't
give her time even to call Nurse Norah and get dressed. You see, Bruno
and Bounder did not often have so nice a little visitor, and they were
ready to begin play that very minute. Bounder was jumping up and down
and all over the room, and at last he spied Elinor's slippers on the
floor and caught up one of them between his sharp little teeth and ran
round and round the room with it. But Bruno chased Bounder all round the
room trying to make him drop the slipper, while Elinor stood still and
laughed and laughed and laughed!

But just then Nurse Norah came rushing in from the next room, asking
what _was_ the matter and in a minute, the naughty Bounder was made to
give up Elinor's slipper, and Bruno chased him all the way out of the
house.

And just as soon as Elinor had had her breakfast, she ran out and had a
fine romp with Bruno and Bounder in Grandmother's garden.

[Illustration: From the engraving of the painting by Arthur J. Elsley.
"TIME TO GET UP!"]

MAGGIE'S VERY OWN SECRET

By SARA JOSEPHINE ALBRIGHT

(_For Very Little Folk_)

Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky were two little, gray mice. They lived away back in
the corner of a great, big, empty box in the cellar.

One morning Mr. Squeaky went up the cellar stairs on tiptoes, to hunt
for some bread and cheese in the kitchen.

All at once he heard some one talking, and he hid behind the broom and
was as still as he could be.

It was the little boy Johnnie, who lived up-stairs. He had a big hammer
and a saw in his hand, and he was talking to his little sister.

"I think that big, empty box down cellar would make a fine dolls' house,
Maggie. I can fix a little porch on it, and make an up-stairs and a
down-stairs," the little boy said.

"Oh, Johnnie, that will be lovely," his little sister said. "I'll do
something for you sometime. Maybe--maybe--I'll draw a whole slate full
of el'phants, for you to look at!"

Then they started down the ce