ieces are
large enough."

"Winifred, you always think of just the right thing," Ruth responded
admiringly. "Let's make a table for a present for Betty. She got all
those nice things for us to dress up in, and we have never made her a
present."

Winifred nodded approvingly. She was greatly pleased by Ruth's
admiration, and she thought that Betty would be greatly surprised to
discover that two girls so much younger than herself could really make a
table.

"Ruth! Ruth!" called Aunt Deborah from the back porch. "Dinner is ready!"

So the two little girls were obliged to leave their pleasant plans, and,
after promising to return early that afternoon, Winifred started for
home while Ruth ran into the house.

"My chair is all finished for Cecilia," she announced as she took her
seat at the dinner-table, "and Winifred and I are going to make a table
for Betty."

Mrs. Pernell and Aunt Deborah both smiled their approval, thinking that
the table for Betty, like Cecilia's chair, was to be made of pasteboard.

"Thee must bring thy doll to Barren Hill," said Aunt Deborah. "There are
fine places to play in the big barn and in the pine woods, and thy doll
will be company for thee."

"How soon may I visit Aunt Deborah, Mother?" Ruth asked eagerly. "May I
not go with Farmer Withal next week?"

"I cannot spare you so soon, Ruthie dear," responded her mother, "and I
will have to ask permission from the English General for you to leave
the town. You see they fear even small Americans," she concluded
laughingly. But before dinner was over it was decided that, if all went
well, Ruth should go to Barren Hill about the first of May. That seemed
a long time to Ruth; but she remembered that Betty's table was not even
begun, and if she and Winifred did decide to make furniture for their
dolls the three weeks that must pass before her visit to Barren Hill
would perhaps be none too long a time.

Mrs. Pernell had just left the table when there was a rap at the door,
and before any one could respond it opened, and there stood Winifred;
her face was pale and she was evidently frightened.

"Oh, Mrs. Pernell! There are two English officers at our house. They
have come to take Gilbert," she exclaimed, "and they want Ruth too."

"'Take Gilbert'!" echoed Mrs. Pernell. "What has he done? And what do
they want of Ruth?"

"Oh! It's because of the play. Mother lost the programme we made for
her. It blew away, and an English soldier found it; an