such droll
collisions as boys came racing round corners, or girls ran into
one another's arms as they crept up and down steps on the sly; such
laughing, whistling, flying about of flowers and friendly feeling--it
was almost a pity that May-day did not come oftener.

Molly got home late, and found that Grif had been before her, after all;
for she stumbled over a market-basket at her door, and on taking it
in found a mammoth nosegay of purple and white cabbages, her favorite
vegetable. Even Miss Bat laughed at the funny sight, and Molly resolved
to get Ralph to carve her a bouquet out of carrots, beets, and turnips
for next time, as Grif would never think of that.

Merry ran up the garden-walk alone, for Frank left her at the gate,
and was fumbling for the latch when she felt something hanging there.
Opening the door carefully, she found it gay with offerings from her
mates; and among them was one long quiver-shaped basket of birch bark,
with something heavy under the green leaves that lay at the top. Lifting
these, a slender bas-relief of a calla lily in plaster appeared, with
this couplet slipped into the blue cord by which it was to hang:--

"That mercy you to others show
That Mercy Grant to me."

"How lovely! and this one will never fade, but always be a pleasure
hanging there. Now, I really have something beautiful all my own," said
Merry to herself as she ran up to hang the pretty thing on the dark
wainscot of her room, where the graceful curve of its pointed leaves and
the depth of its white cup would be a joy to her eyes as long as they
lasted.

"I wonder what that means," and Merry read over the lines again, while
a soft color came into her cheeks and a little smile of girlish pleasure
began to dimple round her lips; for she was so romantic, this touch
of sentiment showed her that her friendship was more valued than she
dreamed. But she only said, "How glad I am I remembered him, and how
surprised he will be to see mayflowers in return for the lily."

He was, and worked away more happily and bravely for the thought of
the little friend whose eyes would daily fall on the white flower which
always reminded him of her.

Chapter XIX. Good Templars

"Hi there! Bell's rung! Get up, lazy-bones!" called Frank from his room
as the clock struck six one bright morning, and a great creaking and
stamping proclaimed that he was astir.

"All right, I'm coming," responded a drowsy voice, and Jack turned o