nway girl, smoothing up the coverlet of
the bed and preparing to plump the pillows.

"No," panted Tess, putting her bundle on the stand by the head of the
bed. "'Tisn't 'scalloped, Tess. It's vac--vacilation, I believe. Anyway,
it's some operation, and we all have to have it."

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Ruth, laughing. "We've all been vaccinated,
kiddies--and it wasn't such a dreadful operation, after all. All we'll
have to do is to show our arms to the doctor and he'll see we were
vaccinated recently."

"Well!" said Dot. "I knew it had something to do with that 'scallop mark
on my arm," and she tried to roll up the sleeve of her frock to see the
small but perfect scar that was the result of her vaccination.

They all left the room, laughing. Two hours later the house quieted
down, for the family had retired to their several rooms.

To Neale O'Neil, the waif, the big house was a very wonderful place. The
fine old furniture, the silver plate of which Uncle Rufus took such
loving care, the happy, merry girls, benevolent Mrs. MacCall and her odd
sayings, even Aunt Sarah with her grim manner, seemed creatures and
things of another world. For the white-haired boy had lived, since he
could remember, an existence as far removed from this quiet home-life at
the old Corner House, as could be imagined!

He told Agnes laughingly that he would be afraid to leave his room
during the night, for fear of getting lost in the winding passages, and
up and down the unexpected flights of stairs at the back of the house.

He heard the girls go away laughing when they had showed him to his
room. There was a gas-jet burning and he turned it up the better to see
the big apartment.

"Hullo! what's this?" Neale demanded, as he spied a paper bag upon the
stand.

He crossed to the head of the bed, and put his hand on the package.
There was no mistaking the contents of the bag at first touch.

Crackers!

"That's the fat girl!" exclaimed Neale, and for a moment he was really a
little angry with Agnes.

It was true, he _had_ gorged himself on Mrs. MacCall's good things. She
had urged him so, and he had really been on "short commons" for several
days. Agnes had suggested his taking crackers and cheese to bed with
him--and here was a whole bag of crackers!

He sat down a moment and glowered at the package. For one thing, he was
tempted to put on his cap and jacket and leave the Corner House at once.

But that would be childish. And Ruth