e river babbled out the rest of
the story. Poor Ralph! how he cried now!

"Dorrie! Dorrie!" he cried, peering down into the shining river, as if
fearful of seeing a sun-bonnet and a gleaming of golden hair in its
depths. But no; he saw nothing, only the minnows, the water-spiders, and
the pebbles.

"Lost! Rover, find!" said he to the dog, showing him Dorrie's
shoulder-knot and the flowers.

Rover seemed to understand, for he sniffed at the ground, and then
bounded into the river, diving down, and no doubt frightening the fishes
as much as he did Ralph. Presently he came out, bringing--ah! what? Mab,
dripping, water-bedabbled--a pitiful object indeed. The boy took her in
his hand, too alarmed to laugh, though fright and fun almost choked him;
then the dog bounded and led the way into the copse, where the doves
still cooed, the squirrels leaped, and the cuckoo cried, as if no small
maiden was lost, perhaps never to be found again alive. The thought made
Ralph shiver.

The river flowed through one corner of the copse; he could see it
shining where the sunbeams fell through the tree branches. But Rover did
not go that way: he dived away among the trees and undergrowth.

"Dorrie! Dorrie!" cried the little brother.

"Wow-wow-wow!" barked Rover, but at first no response.

Presently, "Wow-wow-wow!" barked Rover again; it was a joyful bark, and
Ralph ran to him. There lay poor tired Dorrie fast asleep, the two
remaining dolls in the mail-cart smiling and staring at her. But Rover
woke her with a pat, Ralph hugged her with such a fond hug; then they
started homeward, Ralph taking the mail-cart, with poor wet Mab mounted
in disgrace behind, Dorrie clinging to his other hand. They reached home
in time to go in with mamma, returned from her visit.

"I left my dollies to go into the copse to pick some flowers, and when I
came back Mab had run away; then I went into the copse to find her, and
couldn't; then I cried and went to sleep, and Rover found me." This was
Dorrie's story of herself.

"I will never, never, never break a promise again, mamma!" said penitent
Annie.

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ROSIE'S DISAPPOINTMENT.

It _was_ a disappointment! Mother looked gravely at the clouds, Nurse
shook her head, and Father said it would never do for Rosie, who was not
strong, to go to a picnic if the weather was doubtful.

And it was more than doubtful; for a sharp shower made t