h in her mother's room, resting after the strenuous exertions
of her scrubbing and scouring.

"I do think I'm the very worst child in the whole world," she said, at
last. "Isn't it surprising, Mother, that I should be so bad, when you're
so sweet and good? Do you think I take after Father?"

Mrs. Maynard suppressed a smile.

"Wait till Father comes home, and ask him that question," she said.

CHAPTER XI

THE HALLOWE'EN PARTY

Mr. and Mrs. Maynard talked over Marjorie's latest prank, and concluded
that it would indeed be too great a punishment to keep her at home from
the Hallowe'en party.

So her punishment consisted in being kept at home from the Saturday
meeting of the Jinks Club.

This was indeed a deprivation, as the members of the club were to plan
games for the party, but still it was an easier fate to bear than
absence from the great event itself.

Marjorie was so sweet and patient as she sat at home, while King and
Kitty started off for the Jinks Club, that Mrs. Maynard was tempted to
waive the punishment and send her along, too.

But the mother well knew that what she was doing was for her child's own
good, and so she stifled her own desires, and let Marjorie stay at
home.

Midget was restless, though she tried hard not to show it. She fed the
gold-fish, she read in her book of Fairy Tales, she tried amusements of
various sorts, but none seemed to interest her. In imagination she could
see the rest of the Jinks Club seated in the bay at Dorothy Adams',
chattering about the party.

"Oh, hum," sighed Marjorie, as she stood looking out of the playroom
window, "I do believe I'll never be naughty again."

"What's 'e matter, Middy?" said Rosy Posy, coming along just then.
"Don't you feels dood? Want to p'ay wiv my Boffin Bear?"

Marjorie took the soft, woolly bear, and somehow he was a comforting old
fellow.

"Let's play something, Rosy Posy," she said.

"Ess; p'ay house?"

"No; that's no fun. Let's play something where we can bounce around. I
feel awful dull."

"Ess," said Rosy Posy, who was amiable, but not suggestive.

"Let's play I'm a hippopotamus, and you're a little yellow chicken, and
I'm trying to catch you and eat you up."

Down went Rosy Posy on all-fours, scrambling across the floor, and
saying, "Peep, peep"; and down went Marjorie, and lumbered across the
floor after her sister, while she roared and growled terrifically.

Mrs. Maynard heard the noise, but she only smil