head.

"I just wonder if you thought I would go to a nutting party, when you
couldn't," she exclaimed. "I guess I haven't forgotten who was whipped
in school the other day to save me. Bless me! Studying history!"

"Why, Kittie Dering!" was all the answer, she received from astonished
Kat, "Didn't you go!"

"Looks as if I didn't, don't it?"

"And just for me?"

"Just for you!"

Thereupon, Bea, who was watching at the window, went down stairs, and
reported that Kittie and Kat were having a "love feast" out on the roof.

That afternoon, amusements flagged. It was unusually warm for so late in
the year, and Kat stretched lazily out on a bench, under the trees,
while Kittie sat on the grass, and enjoyed herself pleasantly with
nothing. "I tell you," exclaimed the latter, with a hearty jump,
occasioned partly, by a new idea, partly by the sight of a huge spider,
that was lumbering over the grass towards her. "Let's go over to the new
church."

"What for?"

"Walk on the foundation; it's all finished and splendid to race on all
the way round."

"Jolly idea," cried Kat, jumping from her bench, forgetting a previous
assertion, that it was, "too hot to move!" and away they went, down the
walk, at the usual break-neck speed taken by them, when in a hurry;
Kittie rushing through the gate, while Kat nimbly cleared the fence.

Nobody was around to see, or be horrified, for it was on the edge of
town, and anyhow, it seemed utterly impossible to convince these girls
that they were nearly thirteen years' old, and ought to stop being such
hoydens. Bea's little cautions, Ernestine's careful talks and examples
of grace and dignity, Olive's open ridicule, and Jean's childish wonder,
were all set aside, by a quiet smile from mama, or papa's hearty
exclamation of--"let them alone--they're the only boys I've got." So
Kittie and Kat romped to their heart's content, while mama took care
that it did not make them too rude, and mended their torn clothes, with
a patient smile, sometimes saying to herself: "Never mind, it makes them
happy and strong; so, as long as I am well, and have the time, I'll not
complain of a few rips and tears."

The new church, was only around the corner in a large green field, and
the foundation, broad, and not too nigh, was a tempting place to run; so
they clambered up, and raced back and forth, and all around several
times, 'till out of breath, then Kat paused, and looked about with a
contemplative and ve