the main entrance of the cottage, and the boys
heard a wild scream of delight from the princess.

Master Potter threw himself, face downward, on the grass near the
garden, and Plums seated himself by his comrade's side, asking again and
again how it was aunt Dorcas had so readily found the princess's
parents.

"When we first come here, I didn't think she 'mounted to very much,
'cause she was so little an' kind er dried up. Then, when she struck out
so heavy prayin', I begun to think there might be more to her than I'd
counted on. But now,--why, Joe, little as she is, aunt Dorcas has done
more'n all the cops in town put together. When we told her the princess
had lost her folks, what does she do but go right out and hunt 'em up,
an' don't look as though she'd turned a hair doin' it."

Joe made no reply.

"Didn't she hump herself, when we showed her that advertisement? She
was jest like a terrier after a rat, an' bossed me 'round till, as
true's you live, I run more'n half the way over to Mr. McArthur's. Then
how she jumped on him when he begun to ask questions! If I only had
somebody like aunt Dorcas to look out for me, I wouldn't have to work so
hard."

Joe remained silent; but Plums was so intent on singing aunt Dorcas's
praises, that he failed to pay any especial attention to the fact that
his comrade had not spoken since they knew the princess's parents had
arrived.

"Joseph! George!"

"Here we are, aunt Dorcas," Plums replied.

"Come into the house this very minute, both of you."

"Come on, Joe; I s'pose we've got to go. The dude wants to thank us for
lookin' after the princess."

"You can go; I sha'n't," Joe said, with difficulty, as if he were
choking, and Plums gazed at him in surprise.

"Joseph! George! Where are you?"

"Out here by the garden, aunt Dorcas. Joe won't come in."

"Go on by yourself, an' leave me alone," Master Potter said, angrily,
still keeping his face hidden from view.

"It can't do any hurt to have one look at the dudes, an' seein's how
there's nothin' else goin' on, I guess I'll take the show in."

Then Master Plummer sauntered leisurely towards the cottage, and Joe,
believing himself alone, began to sob as if his heart were breaking.

He failed to hear aunt Dorcas as she came swiftly out through the shed
door and kneeled by his side. Not until she spoke did he think there was
a witness to his grief.

[Illustration: "JOE, BELIEVING HIMSELF ALONE, BEGAN TO SOB AS IF HIS