n I want you to!" persisted the small tyrant.
"'Cause Jeremiah has a bone in his leg, and them girls"--oh, black
ingratitude of childhood!--"won't. I don't need you for a pillow, 'cause
I has my sweet old fat kyat for a pillow."

"Naturally!" said Bubble. "But if you should want a bolster any time,
just let me know."

"Because I's ve boy of ve house, you see!" said Benny, in a tone of
relief.

"You are that!" responded Bubble, with great heartiness.

By general consent, the second half of Zerubbabel's narrative was
reserved for the evening, when Miss Wealthy could hear and enjoy it.
Hildegarde and Rose, of course, found out all about their kind friends
at the Farm; and the former looked very grave when she heard that Mr.
and Mrs. Hartley were expecting Rose without fail early in September,
and were counting the days till her return. But she resolutely shook off
all selfish thoughts, and entered heartily into the pleasure of doing
the honors of the place for the new-comer.

Bubble was delighted with everything. It was the prettiest place he had
ever seen. There never was such a garden; there never were such
apple-trees, "except the Red Russet tree at the Farm!" he said. "_That_
tree is hard to beat. 'Member it, Miss Hilda,--great big tree, down by
the barn?"

"Indeed I do!" said Hilda. "Those are the best apples in the world, I
think; and so beautiful,--all golden brown, with the bright scarlet
patch on one cheek. Dear apples! I wish I might have some this fall."

Bubble smiled, knowing that Farmer Hartley was counting upon sending his
best barrel of Russets to his favorite "Huldy;" but preserved a discreet
silence, and they went on down to the boat-house.

When evening came, the group round the parlor-table was a very pleasant
one to see. Miss Wealthy's chair was drawn up near the light, and she
had her best cap on, and her evening knitting, which was something as
soft and white and light as the steam of the tea-kettle. Near her sat
Hildegarde, wearing a gown of soft white woollen stuff, which set off
her clear, fresh beauty well. She was dressing a doll, which she meant
to slip into the next box of flowers that went to the hospital, for a
little girl who was just getting well enough to want "something to
cuddle;" and her lap was full of rainbow fragments of silk and velvet,
the result of Cousin Wealthy's search in one of her numerous piece-bags.
On the other side of the table sat Rose, looking very like her
n