er the coals until they spluttered
and swelled to bursting.

"Now eat them!" she commanded. There was a chary tasting and then an
ecstatic cry--"Marshmallows!"

The rapidity with which the tin boxes were emptied might have appalled
a less generous provider than Blue Bonnet; but she had relied upon
Uncle Cliff to fill her order for marshmallows, and consequently felt
no fear of "going short."

When little Bayard had consumed his ninth "moth-ball" as he persisted
in calling the sweets, his mother rose to take her brood home. Mr.
Judson bent to lift Joe who had fallen asleep in Sarah's arms, and
then turned to Blue Bonnet. "Good-night," he said, holding out his
free hand and smiling down into the girl's tired face; "this is the
first time I ever partook of toasted moonshine, and I've enjoyed my
initiation."

Carita kissed her impulsively. "It's the loveliest party I've ever
been to," she whispered.

Blue Bonnet looked wistfully after the departing group. "Aren't
families the nicest things in all the world?" she asked Sarah, as she
sank on the blanket beside this member of a numerous clan.

"The very nicest." And Sarah, whose arms still felt the warmth of
little Joe, stared into the fire with eyes that saw in the coals the
picture of a family in far-off Woodford.

There were a few more songs; an eighth or ninth rendition of

"Meet me, dearest Mandy,
By the water-melion vine"--

for the benefit of Amanda, who hated it, and then the rest rose
reluctantly to depart.

"It's the swellest thing in the bonfire line I've ever attended,"
Sandy assured Mrs. Clyde; and she could excuse the phrase because of
the undoubted enthusiasm of the speaker.

Half a dozen of the boys tramped away in a bunch, and there floated
back to the group about the fire the rhythmic refrain of "Good-night,
ladies!" until it finally died away in a sleepy murmur.

Only the older boys had lingered and they, after making arrangements
for a horse-back ride on the morrow, slowly straggled away.

"Where's Blue Bonnet?" asked Alec; he was one of the last, loitering
for a final word with his hostess.

"She was sitting by me a little while ago," said Sarah, looking
towards the Navajo.

The spot was in shadow, but as they looked in that direction, a log
fell, and a slender flame sprang up. In the light they saw Blue
Bonnet, curled up on the bright blanket, with her head pillowed on her
arm.

She was fast asleep.

CHAPTER