and Prudy's
sweet little voice filled all the pauses with some funny little chorus
of her own.

When the party broke up, the children were quite tired out, and glad
to go to bed.

"Well," said Grace, as they went slowly upstairs, "didn't my picnic go
off nicely?"

"_Your_ pignig?" said Prudy; "why it b'longs to _me_! I had it
myself."

"Hush," said Susy. "Cousin Grace came two thousand miles to see us,
and grandma promised her this party, and she had it."

"There, now, Susy," said Prudy, much grieved, "I've got a cent, and I
_was_ goin' to buy you some shiny shoes, but now I shan't."

Grace and Susy could not help laughing, and poor tired little Prudy
could not bear that.

"There," cried she, "don't you do that again! If you'll say 'twas _my_
pignig, Susy Parlin, then I'll kiss you; but if you say it isn't, I
won't speak to you again--never in my world!"

"Well, it wasn't your picnic--so there," said Susy.

Prudy settled her cheek to the pillow.

"Susy Parlin," said she, drowsily, "I ain't a-goin' to speak to you
again--till--you--say--'twas--my--pig----"

But in the middle of a word Prudy made a mistake and dropped off to
sleep.

CHAPTER V

PRUDY IN THE PINES

"No, my dears," said grandma. "I couldn't consent to let you go
strawberrying 'up by the Pines' as you call it. It is Mr. Judkins's
mowing-field."

"But, grandma," said Grace, "Johnny Gordon went there yesterday, and
there wasn't any fuss about it."

"Then you may be sure Mr. Judkins did not know it," said grandma. "If
he should catch any children in his field, he would be sure to give
them a severe scolding."

"Besides," chimed in aunt Madge, "Prudy isn't fit to walk so far--she
isn't very well."

"No, she is quite out of sorts," said grandma. "So if you must go
somewhere, you may take your little baskets and go out in the meadow
on the other side of the cornfield. Only take good care of Prudy; now
remember."

"Grandma always says that over," said Susy, as the three children were
on their way to the meadow; "and aunt Madge always says it too--'take
care of Prudy!' As if she were a little baby."

"That is all because she cries so much, I presume," said Grace,
looking at poor Prudy rather sternly. "I did hope, Susy, that when
Horace went down to the 'crick' fishing, you and I might go off by
ourselves, and have a nice time for once. But here is 'little Pitcher'
right at our heels. We never can have any peace. Little Miss Someb