n she went back to school. Then, too,
Patty had pressed upon her a favorite book of fairy tales which they
had read together and which had been the groundwork of many
delightful plays. Oh, no, there was nobody like Patty.

Yet as Marian walked with Miss Dorothy up the familiar street, she
felt that it was not bad to get back again. There was Mrs. Hunt
watching out for her at the gate, to give her a tremendous hug and
many kisses. There was Miss Hepzibah Toothacre, "pleasant as pie,"
at the door to welcome back the child. "Here she is," cried Heppy,
and from his study rushed grandpa, from the sitting-room issued
grandma, both eager to get to Marian first. "Heigho, heigho, little
girl," said grandpa, "it is good to get you back again."

"Well, my dear, how are you? Come kiss grandma," came from Mrs.
Otway, and Marian, pleased and surprised, felt that home was not
such a bad place after all.

Then there were Dippy and Tippy, and also a surprise, for Heppy
mysteriously led the way to the wood-shed which was just outside the
kitchen, and what should Marian see there but three new baby kittens
with Tippy proudly rubbing and purring around. Marian was on her
knees before them in a minute, and had picked out the prettiest to
cuddle. "Oh, if I might only keep this one," she said, "and perhaps
we could find homes for the others."

"I guess Mis' Otway ain't goin' to allow three cats under foot,"
said Heppy discouragingly. And indeed when Marian made her request
to keep one of the kittens she was straightway denied.

"You may keep two cats," said Mrs. Otway, "but no more will I have.
If you choose to get rid of one of the larger ones and keep the
little kitten I have no objection, but you will have to decide that
for yourself."

But here, as usual, Mrs. Hunt came to the rescue. "Now, chickadee,"
she said, when Marian told her the dilemma she was in, "you just let
me have that nice big gray cat of yours. Our house cat got so he
wouldn't live anywhere but in the stable, and grew so wild that I
scarcely ever saw him; finally he went away altogether. You bring
Dippy here and then you can see him as often as you want to."

Although Marian hated to give up Dippy, she knew he would have the
best of homes with Mrs. Hunt, and she did yearn so for the new
kitten that she finally decided to turn Dippy over to her good
friend. This seemed wise for more reasons than one, for his mother
was rather cross to him since her new family had a