nts, had seated herself by his side, prepared to
enjoy the cold meat and bread and butter.

"Yes, I will. It isn't very much, though, only when I was at the baker's
who should happen to come in but the lady and the little girl who live
down on the second floor. You know, I told you about that little girl,
how pretty she was, and how she and her mother were always together.
I've seen her mother taking her to school ever so many mornings, and I
think she was on her way home from school now, for she carried books.
Well, I got my cream cakes--they were lovely ones too, and the woman
gave me three, though I only asked for two--and I was hurrying home as
fast as I could, when all of a sudden I slipped on that old orange peel,
and fell flat. My bag burst open, and of course the cream cakes were all
squashed. I got up, and was standing looking at my poor cream cakes, and
feeling so dreadfully sorry, when the lady and the little girl stopped
to speak to me. They were ever so kind. The lady said I had better go
back to the store for more, but I didn't have money enough for that, you
know."

"You didn't say so, did you?" Jack questioned anxiously.

"Of course I didn't. I just said I thought I wouldn't go back to-day,
and then we all walked home together, and the little girl asked me about
you."

"What did you tell her?"

"Oh, I said you were a very clever boy, and--why, there's the door bell;
I wonder who it can be?"

"Perhaps it's mother come home early," Jack suggested, his pale little
face brightening; "perhaps one of her pupils didn't take a lesson,
or----"

But Betty did not hear. She was already halfway across the little hall,
and in another moment was standing with the open door in her hand,
gazing in surprise at the neat, pleasant-faced servant girl who
confronted her. The girl held in her hand a plate covered with a napkin.

"Is this Miss Betty Randall?" the stranger inquired, smiling.

"Yes," said Betty, in growing bewilderment. She was sure she had never
seen the girl before.

"Well, here are some eclairs for you. Miss Winifred Hamilton sends them
to you and your little brother, and hopes you'll both enjoy them."

And before Betty could recover sufficiently from her surprise to utter a
word of either thanks or protest, the plate was in her hands, and the
servant girl was hurrying away downstairs.

It was with a very bright face, however, that the little girl came
running back into the sitting room, in ans