r head
saucily, flew out the door and down the staircase in a flutter of
delicious fear.

Ernest got to his feet blusteringly.

"Mother said you kids were to keep out of my room and you can just go
get that book for me or I'll tell her when she comes home."

He made a grab for his sister's arm, but she eluded him skilfully and
darted after Katy, chanting maliciously: "Get it yourself--get it
yourself--old cross patch!"

An exciting chase followed. Ernest tearing out the front door almost
knocked over Gertie who was just coming in. He quickly righted her with
a smile--he was fond of little Gertie who never bothered. The momentary
delay gave the girls a start and Ernest saw Katy's flying skirts
disappearing round the kitchen ell, with Chicken Little close behind
her, as he turned the corner of the house.

Once at the back he found Chicken Little had sought sanctuary with
Alice, the maid, who was sitting under a tree peeling peaches, but Katy
had vanished.

"Which way'd she go, Alice?" Alice shook her head teasingly, at the same
time glancing toward the kitchen door.

Ernest bolted in, but a swift search of the house revealed no Katy. Jane
still clung to Alice clapping her hands derisively.

"Has she gone home?" he demanded.

Chicken Little shook her head.

"Am I hot or cold?"

"Hot! My, you're just burning!"

Gertie, who had followed, stared up into the branches overhead, but
Ernest, gazing after, caught no glimpse of Katy's pink gingham or
mischievous face.

"Bet you can't find her," jeered Jane; "boys aren't smart as girls if
they are so stuck on themselves."

"Bet Alice hid her."

"Bet she didn't."

At this moment a whistle at the side gate interrupted them. Ernest
trilled in answer and a moment later Carol Brown and Sherman Dart,
Ernest's two sworn cronies, came round the corner with a whoop.

"You smarties can have the old book. Mother'll make you give it back
tonight, anyway."

A chuckle overhead punctuated his sentence, and some fifteen feet above
him, seated gracefully astride the comb of the low roof, Katy waved the
book at him tantalizingly.

"Gee, how'd you get up there?"

By way of reply Katy opened the book at random and began to read:

"The third crusade which had opened so disastrously, was at last to be
prosecuted with vigor. The eight days' truce was over and Philip of
France again led the assault upon the walls of Acre. King Richard slowly
convalescing was borne to the scene