f she had had a nice time at Hannah Maria's. But Mehitable was
very sober. She did not seem like herself. Her mother asked whether she
did not feel well, and, in spite of her saying that she did, would not
let her eat any of her aunt Susy's shortcake for supper. She had to eat
some stale bread, and shortly after supper she had to go to bed. Her
mother went up-stairs with her, and tucked her in.

"She's all tired out," she said to the others, "it's
quite a little walk over to the Greens', and I s'pose she played hard. I
don't really like to have her play with a girl so much older as Hannah
Maria. She isn't big enough to run and race."

"She didn't seem like herself when she came into the yard," said Aunt
Susy.

"I should have given her a good bowl of thoroughwort tea, when she went
to bed," said her grandmother.

"The kitchen fire isn't out yet; I can steep some thoroughwort now,"
said Aunt Susy, and she forthwith started. She brewed a great bowl of
thoroughwort tea and carried it up to Mehitable. Mehitable's wistful
innocent blue eyes stared up out of the pillows at Aunt Susy and the
bowl.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"A bowl of nice hot thoroughwort tea. You sit up and drink it right
down, like a good little girl."

"I'm not sick, Aunt Susy," Mehitable pleaded, faintly. She hated
thoroughwort tea.

"Well, never mind if you're not. Sit right up. It'll do you good."

Aunt Susy's face was full of loving determination. So Mehitable sat up.
She drank the thoroughwort tea with convulsive gulps. Once in a while
she paused and rolled her eyes piteously over the edge of the bowl.

"Drink it right down," said Aunt Susy.

And she drank it down. There never was a more obedient little girl than
Mehitable Lamb. Then she lay back, and Aunt Susy tucked her up, and went
down with the empty bowl.

"Did she drink it all?" inquired her grandmother.

"Every mite."

"Well, she'll be all right in the morning, I guess. There isn't anything
better than a bowl of good, hot, thoroughwort tea."

The twilight was deepening. The Lamb family were all in the
sitting-room. They had not lighted the lamp, the summer dusk was so
pleasant. The windows were open. All at once a dark shadow appeared at
one of them. The women started--all but Grandmother Lamb. She was asleep
in her chair.

"Who's there?" Aunt Susy asked, in a grave tone.

"Have you seen anything of Hannah Maria?" said a hoarse voice. Then they
knew it was Mr. Green.