tely, in the
manner in which she had so often seen Melvina come down the path, and
she was a little surprised that her companion had not at once noticed
it. But Anna was always ready to run, and replied quickly: "Let's race,
and see who can get to the blacksmith shop first."

Away went the two little girls, Melvina's long braids dancing about, and
her starched skirts blown back as she raced along; and, greatly to
Anna's surprise, Melvina passed her and was first at the shop.

"I beat! I beat!" exclaimed Melvina, her dark eyes shining and her face
flushed with the unwonted exercise.

"You do everything best," Anna declared generously, "but I did not know
that you could run so fast."

"Neither did I," Melvina acknowledged laughingly. Anna felt a little
puzzled by this sudden change in Melvina, which was far more noticeable
than Anna's own effort to give up her boyish ways and become a quiet,
sedate little girl. For ever since the few hours of freedom on the
shore, on the day of the tempest, Melvina had endeavored to be as much
like Anna as possible. She ran, instead of walking slowly, whenever she
was out of her mother's sight. She had even neglected her lessons to go
out-of-doors and watch a family of young robins one morning, and had
been immediately called in by her surprised mother. In fact, Melvina had
tried in every way to do things that she imagined Anna liked to do. She
had even besought her mother to cut off her hair; but, as she dared not
give her reason for such a wish, Mrs. Lyon had reproved her sharply,
saying that it was a great misfortune for a little girl not to have
smoothly braided hair, or long curls. So while Anna endeavored to cover
her pretty curly hair, to behave sedately, and give up many of her
outdoor games, in order to be like Melvina, Melvina was wishing that
she could be exactly like Anna; and as they stood looking at each other
at the end of their race each little girl noticed a change in the other
which she could not understand, and they started off toward Luretta's
home at a more sober pace.

"Here they are," said Anna, as they came to the corner of the shed and
saw the rabbits looking out at them between the slats of the box.

Melvina kneeled down close to the box and exclaimed admiringly as Trit
and Trot scurried away to the farthest corner.

"I do wish I could touch one! Would it not be fun to dress them up like
dolls!" she said. "If they were mine I would dress them up in bonnets