barbwire along the fence pickets!"

"How mean!" scolded Sister. "No one wants to climb over her old fence,
or swing on her gate."

"Well, I think it is a shame the way the boys torment her," declared
Louise severely. "Jimmie says he caught a little red-headed boy the
other day throwing old tin cans over her fence. You know what Daddy
would say if he ever thought you or Brother did anything like that."

"We don't," Sister assured her earnestly. "We never bother Miss Putnam."

CHAPTER XIII

A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Fourth of July, always a glorious holiday in the Morrison household,
came and was celebrated by a family picnic which gave Brother and
Sister something to talk about for days afterward. Their sandbox, too,
kept them busy and for a long time Jimmie never had to warn them not to
touch the gymnasium apparatus in the barn.

Daddy Morrison and Dick and Ralph continued to go every day to the city
and Jimmie worked faithfully at his books, determined to begin the fall
school term without a condition. As captain of the football team it was
necessary for him to make a good showing in his lessons as well as in
athletics.

Louise and Grace perhaps enjoyed the vacation time more than any other
members of the family. They would be sophomores when they returned to
high school in September, and while they were willing to study hard
then, they meant to have all the fun they could before they were bound
down to books and lessons again.

"Where you going?" Sister asked one night, finding Louise prinking
before the hall mirror and Grace counting change from her mesh bag.

"Out," answered Louise serenely, pulling her pretty hair more over her
ears.

"I know--to the movies!" guessed Brother. "Can't we go? Oh, please,
Louise--you said you'd take us sometime!"

"Oh, yes, Louise, can't we go?" teased Sister. "I never went to the
movies at night," she added pleadingly.

"You can't go," said Louise reasonably enough. "We didn't go when we
were little like you. Don't hang on me, please, Sister; it's too hot."

"I think you're mean!" stormed Brother. "Mother, can't we go to the
movies?"

Mother Morrison, who had been upstairs to get her fan, was going with
Louise and Grace. She shook her head to Brother's question.

"My dearies, of course you can't go at night," she said firmly. "I want
you to be good children and go to bed when the clock strikes eight.
Ralph promised to come up and see you. Kiss Mother good-nigh