allowed to keep it, my dear."

Edna's face sobered. She felt much crestfallen. She wondered what Reba's
father would say.

She did not have long to wait to find this out for after supper came two
young callers who sidled in with rather shamefaced expressions. "Suppose
you take Reba and Esther Ann into the dining-room for a little while,"
suggested grandma encouragingly. "Little folks like to chatter about
their own affairs, I well know."

Edna shot her grandma a grateful look and soon was closeted with the
little girls. "Oh, Edna, what did your mother say?" began Esther Ann.

"She said I must take back the comb, because I had no right to take it."

"That's just what my mother said," returned Esther Ann.

"My father said it's dishonest," put in Reba, "I mean dishonest to keep
it. He knew we didn't mean to steal."

"Oh, Reba, don't say such a dreadful word," said Edna in distress.

"It would be stealing, you know, if we were to keep the things,"
continued Reba bluntly. "My father says you couldn't call it by any
other name, and that to break into a house is burglary."

This sounded even more dreadful, though Esther Ann relieved the speech
of its effect by saying: "But we didn't break in; we just opened the
door and walked in. There wouldn't have been anyone to answer if we had
knocked."

"That makes me feel kind of shivery," remarked Edna. "I would rather not
go back, but I suppose we shall have to."

"Yes, we shall have to," Reba made the statement determinedly.

Therefore, it was with anything but an adventurous spirit that the four
little girls went on their errand the next afternoon. There was no
poking into nooks and corners this time, but straight to the bureau went
they. Solemnly was each article returned to the box from which it was
taken. Silently they tip-toed down the dusty stairs and through the
silent rooms to the outer air where each drew a sigh of relief. Esther
Ann was the first to speak. "There, that's done," she said. "I don't
ever want to go there again."

"Nor I."

"Nor I."

"Nor I," chanted the other three.

CHAPTER VII

THE MILL STREAM

On their way home from the old house, the four girls saw Alcinda
approaching. "Don't let's say anything to her about where we've been,"
said Esther Ann.

"No, don't let's," returned Reba; "you know she didn't want to go there
in the first place."

"It was only because she was scared to," rejoined Esther Ann.

"Well, anyhow, don't le