cross the grass to the rescue ship.

All clambered into the wagon, and the butcher drove them in triumph to
the back door. Here they jumped out, and, after thanking their kind
rescuer, they scampered into the house.

"Such a fun!" said Rosy Posy, as her mother bathed her heated little
face. "Us was all shipperecked, an' I was Buffaro Bill, an' Boffin was
my big wild bear!"

"You two are sights!" said Mrs. Maynard; laughing as she looked at the
muddied, grass-stained, and torn condition of Kingdon and Marjorie. "I'm
glad you had your play-clothes on, but I don't see why you always have
to have such rough-and-tumble plays."

"'Cause we're a rough-and-tumble pair, Mothery," said King; "look at
Kitty there! she kept herself almost spick and span."

"Well, I'm glad I have all sorts of children," said Mrs. Maynard. "Go
and get into clean clothes, and be ready for luncheon promptly on time.
I'm expecting Miss Larkin."

"Larky! Oh!" groaned Kingdon. "I say, Mothery, can't we--us children, I
mean--have lunch in the playroom?" He had sidled up to his mother and
was caressing her cheek with his far-from-clean little hands.

"No," said Mrs. Maynard, smiling as she kissed the brown fingers, "no,
my boy, I want all my olive-branches at my table to-day. So, run along
now and get civilized."

"Come on, Mops," said Kingdon, in a despairing tone, and, with their
arms about each other, the two dawdled away.

Kitty had already gone to Nurse to be freshened up. Kitty loved company,
and was always ready to put on her best manners.

But King and Midget had so much talking to do, and so many plans to
make, that they disliked the restraint that company necessarily put upon
their own conversation.

"I do detest old Larky," said the boy, as they went away.

"I don't mind her so much," said Marjorie, "except when she asks me
questions."

"She's always doing that."

"Yes, I know it. But I promised Mother I'd be extra good to-day, and try
to talk politely to her. Of course, I can do it if I try."

"So can I," said King, with an air of pride in his own powers. "All
right, Mops, let's be 'specially 'stremely good and treat Miss Larkin
just lovely."

Nearly an hour later the four shipwrecked unfortunates, now transformed
into clean, well-dressed civilians, were grouped in the library to await
Miss Larkin's arrival.

The lady was an old friend of Mrs. Maynard's, and though by no means
elderly, was yet far from being as young as she