Prudy always listened with unfailing politeness. As I said before, while
this excitement lasted Miss Dimple was in a state of jubilee. But by and
by the novelty wore off; she had told the family everything she could
possibly think of, and now longed for a few pairs of fresh ears into
which to pour her stories. Everybody else was working for Christmas;
Dotty alone was idle; for no one had time to give her a daily stint, and
see that she accomplished it.

"After the holidays I shall have to go to school; so now is my time to
play," said she to herself, "and I ought to play every minute, as tight
as I can spring."

But she tried so hard to be happy that the effort was really very
tiresome. If she had only had something to do, I am almost sure she would
not have fallen into the misfortune which I am about to record.

One day her mother sent her to a worsted store to pattern some worsteds.
A girl behind the counter gave her the right shades, and she slowly
started for home. It was about four o'clock of a November day. Dotty,
glancing idly at the sky, saw that the sun was already getting low.

"How queer it is!" thought she; "it seems as if the sun grows sleepy very
early nowadays, and goes to bed right in the middle of the afternoon.
Well, I declare, if there isn't Lina Rosenberg!"

The beautiful little Jewess was just turning an opposite corner, and, as
usual, the sight of her face bewitched Dotty in a minute.

[Illustration: LINA ROSENBERG INVITES DOTTY TO HER HOUSE.]

"O, Lina Rosenberg, come over here! How do you do?"

"I'm very well, Dotty: how do YOU do? Only I wish you wouldn't call
me a BUG!"

"Well, then, Lina, you mustn't have bugs in your name if you don't want
to be called by 'em. Did you know I'd been Out West?"

"No; you haven't, Dotty Dimple!"

"Yes, I have; you may ask my father. I kept my own ticket right in my
glove, and took 'most the whole care of myself. Went to the Blind 'Sylum;
found a pearl in an oyster; been 'way down in a coal mine; and--and--"

"Come to my house, won't you, and tell me all about it?" said Lina
Rosenberg, looking as beguiling as possible, and taking Dotty's
unresisting hand.

Dotty knew very well that her mother would never allow her to go to
Lina's house; but she did not like to say that, and she only replied,--

"I've matched my worsteds, and now I must go home."

"O, you can go home afterwards. My mother said to me to-day, 'Do you
bring Dotty Dimple home to sup