shot out into the playground
with shrill yells of delight.

Dick was general, for he was not yet strong enough to run, so he sat in
his wheel-chair, and directed the others.

"We made him general, for generals never have anything to do but boss
others; they are never killed or anything," explained Nan.

A doctor from the hospital had sent down a wagon and goat team. There
were bicycles and a hobby-horse, and boats safely fastened; so they
rode, ran, trotted, or sat in the boats, all the happy day.

Two things were almost forgotten in all the excitement. One was, that
this was Ethelwyn's birthday, and the other, that they had to go away
the next day.

In the evening, however, there was a birthday cake, with eight candles
on it. Then they had the fun of opening the box from Japan.

There was a whole family of quaint dolls for Elizabeth, labeled by
Dorothy's husband, "Heathen dolls: never baptized."

"Nor never will be, by Nan," said Elizabeth, fondly hugging them to her,
and fixing guilty Nan with a steadfast glance.

There was the cunningest watch for Ethelwyn about the size of a quarter
of a dollar.

"It's a live one, though," said its owner proudly, shaking it and
holding it up to her ear.

There was a parasol and a sash for Nan, and three Japanese costumes
complete for the "three little maids from school." These, they at once
put on. Then they all went out on the lawn, and hung Japanese lanterns
in the trees, and Nan's father set off the fireworks, which were also in
the box; so the day closed in a blaze of glory.

At last they were in the sitting-room again.

The adopted children clean and dressed in white gowns were asleep in
their dainty iron beds, and dreaming of happiness past, and to come.

Nan, her father, and mother, and Mrs. Stevens came in for a last word.

"I shall put on mourning to-morrow," announced Nan in a melancholy
voice, "for I shall be a widow. What makes you go away, Mrs. Rayburn?"

"School and business call us to town, Nan, but we shall come every
summer, and spend Christmas here, too, I hope."

"This has been the best birthday I ever spent or ever expect to," said
Ethelwyn with the air of having spent at least fifty. "It is such a good
idea to give things away instead of always getting them, but if you can
do both, as happened this time, it covers everything."

Then they were all quiet for a little while, until Mrs. Rayburn went to
the piano, and touching the keys, sang soft