very short time."

"Well, that was lucky. I don't know what I should have done without, for
I've no time to hunt up anything else for dessert. I've got just as much
as I can do till dinner-time. Mrs. Graham never kept house before, and
don't know how to make allowance for anything. She comes home from
Boston, expects to find everything in apple-pie order, and never asks or
cares who does the work."

Mrs. Prime called out, "Mrs. Ellis, the boy has brought your
strawberries, and the stalks an't off; he said they hadn't no time."

"That's too bad," exclaimed the tired housekeeper. "Who's going to take
the stalks off, I should like to know? Kate is busy, and I can't do it."

"I will, Mrs. Ellis; let _me_ do it," said Gertrude, following Mrs.
Ellis, who was now half-way downstairs.

"No, no! don't you, Miss Gertrude," said Mrs. Prime; "they'll only stain
your fingers all up."

"No matter if they do; my hands are not made of white kid. They'll bear
washing."

Mrs. Ellis was only too thankful for Gertrude's help. Belle and Kitty
were doing their best to entertain Mr. Bruce, who, sitting on the
door-steps, from time to time cast his eyes down the entry, and up the
staircase, in hopes of Gertrude's reappearance; and despairing of it, he
was about to depart, when his sister Fanny came running up the yard, and
rushed past the assembled trio for the house.

Her brother, however, stretched out his arm, caught her, and before he
let her go whispered something in her ear.

"Who is that wild Indian?" asked Kitty Ray, as Fanny ran across the
entry and disappeared.

"A sister of mine," answered Ben, in a nonchalant manner.

"Why! is she?" inquired Kitty, with interest; "I have seen her here
several times, and never took any notice of her. I didn't know she was
_your_ sister. What a pretty girl she is."

"Do you think so?" said Ben; "sorry I can't agree with you. I think
she's a fright."

Fanny now reappeared, and stopping a moment on her way upstairs called
out, without any ceremony, "She says she can't come, she's busy."

"Who?" asked Kitty, in her turn catching Fanny and detaining her.

"Miss Flint."

Mr. Bruce coloured slightly, and Belle Clinton observed it.

"What is she doing?" inquired Kitty.

"Picking strawberries."

"Where are you going, Fanny?"

"Upstairs."

"Do they let you go all over the house?"

"Miss Flint said I might go up and bring down the birds."

"What birds?"

"Her birds. I am going