and accepted," assented Ralph. "The only thing left
to be done, is to decide whether or no, the piano shall come in and go
back; ready, those who want it so;--and remember, I'm going to attend to
it. Now then: yea or nay?"

"Yea," cried the girls, in one delighted breath; after which, Bea
ornamented him with a rose-bud, in token of her thanks, Kittie beamed
untold gratitude upon him, and Kat remarked with condescension: "You can
be a first-rate trump, when you take a notion."

"I'm overcome," said Ralph, with both hands over his heart, and leaving
his seat to make an extravagant bow--"To receive a bud from Posy, a
smile from Kittie, and the assurance from my unconquerable Kathleen,
that I can be a trump; is too much; I therefore hope you will excuse me
for leaving you somewhat abruptly, ladies;" and out of the window he
went with a flying leap, and Kat, watching him stroll down the yard,
made another astonishing admission:

"He's very handsome, if he is such a bother," she said, putting on her
hat with a reflective air. "I don't know, but what he might become quite
civilized, if he staid here long enough."

Between the picnic and the party, the girls were kept pretty busy for
the next few days, and the house was very merry, for busy hands with
happy hearts, bring chattering tongues and joyous laughter; and these
summer days were gleeful ones.

To be sure, some accidents happened, both comical and disastrous, and in
fact, it never was otherwise, if anything was going on in which Kat had
a hand.

On the impulse of an unlucky moment she offered to paint the
flower-rack, as Kittie was busy; so rigged in a big torn flat, and a
pair of fingerless gloves, she went to work, and painted the bottom
first, with flourishing success; but left it out over night, when it
rained and splashed her work with mud; then she began over, and did the
top first, and then hung the pot on a little hook, and went over the
bottom again; but in the midst of her zeal, the pot slipped, turned
over, and deluged her head and body with slopping green paint, and would
have ruined her eyes, if she hadn't shut them tight with the first gasp
of amaze; and when she tried to walk to the house with them closed, the
wheel-barrow stood in the way, and over she went, with a shriek of
dismay that brought the whole household flying to the spot; after which
the afflicted damsel was picked up, and carried tenderly to the kitchen
to be worked with.

Ralph fini