What else was I talking about? Oh, yes, Mamma's
thinking so hard, same as you do, Mr. Winslow. You know," she
added, earnestly, "she acts quite a lot like you sometimes."

Jed looked at her in horror. "Good Lord!" he exclaimed. Then, in
his solemnest drawl, he added, "You tell her to take somethin' for
it afore it's too late."

As he rose from the bench he observed: "Haven't seen you over to
the shop since you moved in. I've been turnin' out another school
of swordfish and whales, too. Why don't you run in and look 'em
over?"

She clapped her hands. "Oh, may I?" she cried. "I've wanted to
ever and ever so much, but Mamma said not to because it might annoy
you. Wouldn't it annoy you, TRULY?"

"Not a bit."

"Oh, goody! And might Petunia come, too?"

"Um-hm. Only," gravely, "she'll have to promise not to talk too
much. Think she'll promise that? All right; then fetch her along."

So, the very next morning, when Jed was busy at the bandsaw, he was
not greatly surprised when the door opened and Miss Barbara
appeared, with Petunia in her arms. He was surprised, however, and
not a little embarrassed when Mrs. Armstrong followed.

"Good morning," said the lady, pleasantly. "I came over to make
sure that there hadn't been a mistake. You really did ask Babby to
come in and see you at work?"

"Yes, ma'am, I--I did. I did, sartin."

"And you don't mind having her here? She won't annoy you?"

"Not a mite. Real glad to have her."

"Very well, then she may stay--an hour, but no longer. Mind,
Babby, dear, I am relying on you not to annoy Mr. Winslow."

So the juvenile visitor stayed her hour and then obediently went
away, in spite of Jed's urgent invitation to stay longer. She had
asked a good many questions and talked almost continuously, but Mr.
Winslow, instead of being bored by her prattle, was surprised to
find how empty and uninteresting the shop seemed after she had
quitted it.

She came again the next day and the next. By the end of the week
Jed had become sufficiently emboldened to ask her mother to permit
her to come in the afternoon also. This request was the result of
a conspiracy between Barbara and himself.

"You ask your ma," urged Jed. "Tell her I say I need you here
afternoons."

Barbara looked troubled. "But that would be a wrong story,
wouldn't it?" she asked. "You don't really need me, you know."

"Eh? Yes, I do; yes, I do."

"What for? What shall I tell her you