ied distress. "Hush!
How did you find out? Promise me you won't tell."

The two stood up and looked at her sheepishly. "We ain't tattlers,"
said the eldest orphan haughtily. "How'd _you_ find out?" he added
indignantly.

"Are you sure you've neither of you told anybody?" she asked, fixing
her searching eyes upon each in turn.

"Sure! Cross my heart!" declared Tim; and Davy nodded agreement.

The wire door of the doctor's house swung open creakingly, and Mrs.
Munn came slowly down the garden path. "Listen," whispered the girl
hurriedly, "I'll give you each a quarter to-morrow night if you'll
promise faithfully you won't tell, and that you'll do everything you
can--everything, mind--to help. Now, you will, won't you, boys?"

It was impossible to resist such an appeal to their chivalry. Tim
became a man on the spot. "Don't you worry," he declared with a grand
air. "We'll look after things. Me an' Dave here'll not squeak, you
bet."

Mrs. Munn opened the gate. "I'm goin' along with you to Arabella's for
a minit," she said. "Davy, don't you go away from the house while I'm
out, mind ye."

"How long'll ye be?" Inquired her son, in a tone that showed he was
prepared to argue the question.

"Jist a minit. If anybody comes for the doctor, jist say he's gone
away."

"I know he walked down the holler to see John Cross's kids."

"Hish!" she cried, looking about in alarm, as though the doctor had
gone off on a murderous expedition. "You can jist say he won't be home
till it's late. I guess there'll be no harm in them knowin' that. Now
mind."

Elsie gave a parting glance full of warning, and Tim answered with a
solemn wink.

The two boys watched the retreating figures until they disappeared into
Miss Arabella's gateway. Instantly Tim's languid air changed to keen
alertness.

"Say!" he exclaimed, "Ella Anne must 'a' told her! Lookee here! We've
gotter help them to 'lope now, or there's no quarter. What'll we do?"

Davy humped his shoulders rebelliously. "I ain't stuck on helpin' that
MacDonald coon to 'lope with nobody," he grumbled. "Don't you mind the
time he took after us?"

The orphan chuckled. "Cracky! he did lambaste you, though, didn't he?
Sawed-Off told the doc on us, though, the time we took the wheel off
his buggy. We've promised, anyhow," he continued righteously.

"Yes, an' I'd have to help Elsie anyhow," added Davy, with an air of
crushing responsibility. "Ye see, she's a sor