y blushed painfully, as she tried to hide her bare feet with her
dress, but she answered, "When mother died I had only two pair, and
Miss Grundy says I sha'nt wear them every day. It makes too much
washing."

"Miss Grundy! She's a spiteful old thing. She shook me once because I
laughed at that droll picture Sal Furbush drew of her on the front
door. I am afraid of Sal, ain't you?"

"I was at first, but she's very kind to me, and I like her now."

"Well, I always run when I see her. She makes such faces and shakes
her fist so. But if she's kind to you, I'll like her too. You go away
(speaking to Henry), and not come here to bother us."

Henry gave a contemptuous whistle, and pointing to Mary's feet, said,
"Ain't they delicate? Most as small as her teeth!"

The tears came into Mary's eyes, and Jenny, throwing a stick at her
brother, exclaimed, "For shame, Henry Lincoln! You always was the
meanest boy. Her feet ain't any bigger than mine. See," and she stuck
up her little dumpy foot, about twice as thick as Mary's.

"Cracky!" said Henry, with another whistle. "They may be, too, and not
be so very small, for yours are as big as stone boats, any day, and
your ankles are just the size of the piano legs." So saying, he threw
a large stone into the water, spattering both the girls, but wetting
Jenny the most. After this he walked away apparently well pleased with
his performance.

"Isn't he hateful?" said Jenny, wiping the water from her neck and
shoulders; "but grandma says all boys are so until they do something
with the oats,--I've forgot what. But there's one boy who isn't ugly.
Do you know Billy Bender?"

"Billy Bender? Oh, yes," said Mary quickly, "he is all the friend
I've got in the world except Sal Furbush."

"Well, he worked for my pa last summer, and oh, I liked him _so_ much.
I think he's the _bestest_ boy in the world. And isn't his face
beautiful?"

"I never thought of it," said Mary. "What makes you think him so
handsome?"

"Oh, I don't know unless it's because he makes such nice popple
whistles!" and as if the argument were conclusive, Jenny unrolled her
pantalet, and tried to wipe some of the mud from her dress, at the
same time glancing towards her sister, who at some little distance was
reclining against an old oak tree, and poring intently over "Fairy
Tales for Children."

Seeing that she was not observed, Jenny drew nearer to Mary and said,
"If you'll never tell any body as long as you live