ter "Alice in Wonderland." This point happily disposed of, they
settled themselves for conversation. He told her about a Christmas
pantomime he had seen in London, with little girls and boys for actors.

Patty listened, deeply interested.

"I'll send you the fairy book that has the story of the play," he
promised, "with colored pictures; and then you can read it for yourself.
You know how to read, of course?" he added.

"Oh, yes!" said Patty, reproachfully. "I've known how to read a _long_
time. I can read anyfing--if it has big print."

"Well! You are coming on!" said Uncle Bobby.

They fell to reminiscing, and the conversation turned to Billy-Boy.

"Do you remember the time he chewed up his rope and came to church?"
Patty dimpled at the recollection.

"Jove! I'll never forget it!"

"And usually Faver found an excuse for not going, but that Sunday Mover
_made_ him, and when he saw Billy-Boy marching up the aisle, with a sort
of dignified smile on his face--"

Uncle Bobby threw back his head and laughed.

"I thought the Judge would have a stroke of apoplexy!" he declared.

"But the funniest thing," said Patty, "was to see you and Father trying
to get him out! You pushed and Father pulled, and first Billy balked and
then he butted."

She suddenly realized that she had neglected to lisp, but Uncle Bobby
was too taken up with the story to be conscious of any lapse. Patty
inconspicuously reassumed her character.

"And Faver scolded me because the rope broke--and it wasn't my fault at
all!" she added with a pathetic quiver of the lips. "And the next day he
had Billy-Boy shot."

At the remembrance Patty drooped her head over the doll in her arms.
Uncle Bobby hastily offered comfort.

"Never mind, Patty! Maybe you'll have another goat some day."

She shook her head, with the suggestion of a sob.

"No, I never will! They don't let us keep goats here. And I loved
Billy-Boy. I'm _awfully_ lonely without him."

"There, there, Patty! You're too big a girl to cry." Uncle Bobby patted
her curls, with kindly solicitude. "How would you like to go to the
circus with me some day next week, and see all the animals?"

Patty cheered up.

"Will there be ele-phunts?" she asked.

"There'll be several," he promised. "And lions and tigers and camels."

"Oh, goody!" she clapped her hands and smiled through her tears. "I'd
love to go. Sank you very, _very_ much."

Half an hour later Patty rejoined her friends in Paradis