and inquire
for the cat."

"Who is Arabella?" Floretta asked.

"She lives near us," said Dorothy, "and she used to go to Aunt
Charlotte's private school with us."

"Doesn't she now?" asked Floretta.

"No, she left our class, and went to a large school in the city."

"By what the letter says, I'd think she was rather queer," said
Floretta.

"Well--" said Dorothy, hesitating, "Arabella _is_ queer."

"Why don't you like to say so?" was the sharp reply.

"Because Dorothy never likes to say anything that isn't kind about any
one, but Arabella _is_ queer, so Dorothy won't say she isn't," said
Nancy.

It was a few days later that Dorothy was reminded of what Reginald had
said in his letter to Flossie.

She was waiting for Nancy to go for a walk, and stooping to pick some of
the pretty wildflowers that blossomed everywhere.

She had walked slowly along toward the clump of white birches where,
when they had first arrived, they had called, and listened to the echo.

She looked back toward the hotel, but Nancy was not yet in sight, so she
seated herself upon the grass, and began to arrange the flowers in a
fine bouquet.

She was trying to mix the white blossoms and pink buds so as to show the
beauty of each, when a carriage passed, and before she looked up a
shrill little voice shouted:

"Dorothy! Dorothy! We're over at the farmhouse just beyond the
Merlington. Aunt Matilda wouldn't _let_ pa take us to a hotel. She
doesn't approve of hotels. Aunt Matilda says,--"

She was looking back to shout at Dorothy, and doubtless would have given
even more particulars, but a firm hand had hastily forced her to turn
around, and sit down.

Nancy ran along the path a few moments later, and her eyes were dancing.

"Did you see Arabella?" she asked. "_Did_ you?"

"Yes, just a few moments ago, and she turned around in the carriage and
screamed to me," said Dorothy.

"I can guess what she said," laughed Nancy, "because she screamed at
me. She told me she was staying at a farmhouse, and said that her Aunt
Matilda didn't approve of hotels."

"That is _just_ what she said," said Dorothy, "and she would have said
more but some one, I think it was her Aunt Matilda, pulled her back into
the carriage."

"Why, that's just the way it was when I saw her. I ran out on to the
piazza, and down the steps, and the carriage rolled by, and she twisted
round to shout. There was this difference, though," said Nancy. "You
were out here alo