e the new
moon?"

Pearl admitted that it had been her wish for quite a while, but she
wanted to see overcoats first; so overcoats were bought and overcoats
sent on approval. There were yards and yards of flannelette bought to
be made into various garments. Pearl was going to have a dressmaker
come to the house, who, under Camilla's direction, would make all
sorts of things for the Watsons.

Pearl's purchases were so numerous that two packing boxes were sent
up on the dray wagon, and it was a proud moment for her when she saw
them carried in and placed in the middle of the floor of the "room."

"Now, set down," Pearl said firmly; "every wan of ye set on the
floor, so none of yer stuff can fall, and I'll give ye what's for ye.
But ye can't put them on till Sunday morning, that is the Sunday
things, and ye can't put on any of them till, to-morrow morning, when
ye'll be as clean as hot water and bar soap can make ye; for me and
Ma are going at ye all to-night. There's nothin' looks more
miserabler than a good suit of clothes with a dirty neck fornenst
it."

Everybody did as Pearl said, and soon their arms were full of her
purchases. Danny was so delighted with the gold bears that he quite
neglected to look at his suit. Tommy was rubbing his chin on his new
coat to see how it felt. Patsey was hunting for pockets in his, when
some one discovered that Bugsey was in tears, idle, out-of-place
tears! Mrs. Watson, in great surprise, inquired the cause, and, after
some coaxing, Bugsey whimpered: "I wish I'd always knew I was goin'
to get them!"

Mrs. Watson remonstrated with him, but Purl interposed gently. "L'ave
him alone, Ma; I know how he feels! He's enjoyin' his cry as much as
if he was laughin' his head off!"

An hour was spent in rapturous inspection, and then everything was
placed carefully back in the boxes. That night, after supper, there
came a knock at the door, and a long pasteboard box, neatly tied with
wine-coloured ribbon, was handed in. On its upper surface it bore in
bold characters the name of "Miss P. Watson," and below that, "With
the compliments of Mason & Meikle."

Excitement ran high.

"Open it, Pearlie dear," her mother said. "Don't stand there gawkin'
at it. There'll be something in it, maybe."

There was something in it for sure. There was a dress length of the
softest, springiest silk, the kind that creaks when you squeeze it,
and it was of the shade that Pearl had seen in her dreams. There