she
heard Luretta's half-smothered voice say: "Do you s'pose our rabbits did
find their mother?"

"I don't know, Luretta, but I only meant to let Melvina play with them.
We--I took them out and carried them over to Melvina's house and we
dressed them up in doll's clothes----"

"Yes? Yes? And what else?" asked Luretta eagerly, now facing about and
forgetting all her anger in hearing what Anna had to tell. So Anna went
on and described all that had happened, imitating London's cry of terror
at the sight of the "white witches." At this Luretta began to laugh, and
Anna came nearer to the big chair, and even ventured to rest against its
arm.

"Luretta, let's you and I go up the trail toward the forest. Perhaps we
might find Trit and Trot," she suggested.

Luretta was out of the chair in a moment; and, quite forgetting all her
anger toward Anna, she agreed promptly and the two little girls, hand
in hand, came into the kitchen and told Mrs. Foster their plan.

She listened smilingly, but cautioned them not to go beyond the edge of
the forest.

"You might meet some animal larger than a rabbit," she warned them;
"'tis the time when bears are about nibbling the tender bark and buds of
the young trees; so go not into the wood. Beside that a party of Indians
were seen near the upper falls yesterday."

"But the Indians come often to the village, and do no harm," said Anna.

But Mrs. Foster shook her head. She remembered that the Indians could
not always be trusted. The little girls promised to follow the trail
only to the edge of the wood, and started soberly off.

"We might see Trit and Trot behind any bush, might we not?" suggested
Luretta hopefully.

"Perhaps we might see a little baby bear! Would it not be fine if we
could catch two little bears instead of rabbits?" responded Anna, as
they climbed the hill, stopping now and then to pick the tender young
checkerberry leaves, or listen to the song of some woodland bird. A
group of young spruce trees stood beside the trail, and here the two
little girls stopped to rest. The sun was warm, and they both were glad
to sit down in the pleasant shade.

They talked about the _Polly_, wondering when she would come to port,
and then their thoughts went back to their lost pets.

"I do think you ought not to have taken them from the box. I am sure
Paul will not like it when I tell him they are gone," said Luretta.

Anna's face grew grave. "Must you tell him?" she asked.

"Of