icles with pride.

"I guess that will be enough," said Marjorie, condescendingly. "But
you will have to cut the turnovers in two so they will go around; we
haven't any, you know."

Marian felt somewhat abashed, and thought that Marjorie was not very
polite. She would not have inquired into the contents of their lunch
baskets for the world. However, she trotted along very contentedly
till they reached Alice's home where Stella was to join them. "I
found some crackers and cheese, and there are two slices of bread
and jam," announced this older girl as she came out. "I think
perhaps we can find an apple tree along the way. Did you bring
anything, Marjorie?"

"Yes, I have something in here." Marjorie swung her tin bucket
in air.

"Then we'd better start," continued Stella. "Who is that with you?
Oh, I see, it is Marian Otway. Hello, Marian."

"How do you do?" said Marian. She had never seen Stella except from
across the church. She considered her quite a young lady, although
she was only fourteen, but she was tall for her age and had an
assured air.

The weather was warm, as it often is in early September, and as they
trudged along the dusty road with the noonday sun beating down upon
them, Marian thought it was anything but fun. Stella, however, kept
encouraging them all by telling them it was only a little further,
and that when they came to a certain big tree they would sit down
and eat their lunch. The tree seemed a long way off, but at length
it was reached, and the four sat down to rest under its shade.

"Oh, I do wish I had a drink," sighed Alice. "I am so thirsty."

"So am I," exclaimed the others.

"Maybe there is a spring near," said Stella. "There is a house over
yonder; perhaps they could let us have some milk."

"But we haven't any money to pay for it," said Alice.

"So we haven't. Well, we'll have to ask for water. It was very
stupid to think of only being hungry and not of being thirsty. We
could have brought some milk as well as not. Let us have your tin
bucket, Marjorie, and you and Alice go over and ask for some water."

"I'm too tired," complained Marjorie. "If I lend you my bucket I
think some one else ought to go for the water."

"Oh, all right," said Stella with a disdainful smile. "I am sure
Marian will be accommodating enough to go with Alice, although you
have walked no further than they did. You will go, won't you,
Marian?"

At this direct appeal, Marian could not refuse to go, a