course I must. He will bring home young leaves and roots for them
to-night, and what will he say!" and Luretta's voice sounded as if tears
were very near.

While Luretta spoke Anna's eyes had been fixed on a little clump of
bushes on the other side of the trail. The bushes moved queerly. There
was no wind, and Anna was sure that some little animal was hiding behind
the shrubs. Greatly excited, Anna leaned forward, grasping Luretta's
arm.

"Look! those bushes!" she whispered.

At that moment a queer ball of dingy white appeared on the opposite
side of the trail, and instantly Anna sprang toward it. Her hands
grasped the torn and twisted piece of floating cloth, and closed upon
the poor frightened little creature, one of the lost rabbits, nearly
frightened to death by the strange garment that had prevented his
escape.

If he could have spoken he would have begged for the freedom that his
brother had achieved; but he could only tremble and shrink from the
tender hands that held him so firmly.

In a moment Anna had unfastened the doll's skirt, and Trit, or Trot, was
once more clear of the detested garment.

"Oh, Danna! Do you suppose we can take it safely home?" exclaimed the
delighted Luretta.

"Just see how frightened he is," Anna responded. Somehow she no longer
wished to take the little creature back and shut it up.

"Do you suppose its mother is trying to find it?" she continued
thoughtfully.

"And would it tell its brothers and sisters all its adventures, just as
Mother said?" questioned Luretta.

"Why not?" Anna's brown eyes sparkled. "Of course it would. Probably
Trot is safe home by this time, and all the rabbit family are looking
out for Trit."

Anna looked hopefully toward Luretta. If Trit went free it must be
Luretta's gift. Anna felt that she had no right to decide.

"Let him go, Danna," said Luretta softly; and very gently Anna released
her clasp on the soft little rabbit. It looked quickly up, and with a
bound it was across the trail and out of sight.

Both the girls drew a long breath.

"I will tell Paul about Trit's mother and brothers and sisters," said
Luretta, as they started toward home. "Probably he will laugh; but I
guess he will say they ought to be free."

Both Anna and Luretta were very quiet on the walk home. Anna began to
feel tired. It seemed to her that a great deal had happened since
morning. She remembered the liberty pole, with a little guilty sense of
having been more