the shells?" said Prudy.

"I'm sure I don't know; I didn't find any. I didn't come back the same
way I went," replied Dotty, twirling her favorite lock of hair over her
finger.

"Didn't come back the same way?"

"No, I went wherrying."

"Wherrying?" repeated Prudy.

"Yes, that's what I said."

"Prudence, what does thee suppose the child means?" said grandma Read,
taking off her spectacles, and fixing her kind eyes steadily upon Dotty
Dimple.

"Wherrying in a wherry," answered Dotty, dryly.

"Does thee mean in a boat?"

"Why no, grandma. It looks like a boat, but it isn't; it's a wherry."

"Who allowed thee to go on the water?"

"Nobody."

"Did thee think thee was doing right?"

"No'm."

"Who rowed the boat?"

"Some boys--two--and Johnny, grandma."

"Hasn't thy mother told thee not to go on the water?"

"She said I mus'n't sail, and I never. I _wherried_."

"Why, Dotty Parlin," said Prudy, "you'll scare me so I'll never get my
breath again! You didn't go off on that bay with some boys?"

"Yes, I did," replied Dotty, trying to look defiant. "_You_ wouldn't
have dared to, Prudy."

"Thee may get in my lap, Alice, and tell me all about it," said grandma
Read, laying down her knitting-work.

Dotty curled herself into a little heap in her grandmother's arms.

"My head aches," said she, "and I love to lay it against your soft
_kerjif_."

"Well, dear, so thee may. Now, tell me what made thee go on the water?"

"'Cause, 'cause, grandma, Solly Rosenbug asked me to go, and Johnny
tried to make me _not_ go. I asked Solly was he old enough, and knew
enough, and he said he did; but he didn't any such thing. And grandma,
there it was, right in the middle of the solid water! And began to spin
and dance round. We couldn't stop it from dancing; the more we held on,
the quicker it went. Way up and down, grandma, and the rain raining, and
our feet all sopping, and pouring right into that wherry like a--a
catara-duct. They were all afraid but me, and I was awful afraid too.
You see I thought we should tip right over, and I didn't want to be
drowned, and couldn't swim."

"Why, Dotty, how you make me tremble!" cried Prudy.

"The way Johnny paddled!" continued Dotty, triumphantly. "Solly _said_
he couldn't. I could have paddled better, only I didn't dare to."

"_You_ paddle!"

"No, I didn't. The wind blew me so I couldn't; 'twas much's ever I kept
in the wherry. I had to hold on to Lina, too; she was just a