his turpentine will take the paint out when it's fresh," said the
painter. "Stand still now."

He wet the rag in some turpentine, which, as you know, is the juice, or
sap, of the pine and other trees. It is used to mix with paint, which
it will dissolve, or melt away after a fashion. It also helps the paint
to dry more quickly when spread on a house or bridge.

With the turpentine rag the painter rubbed at the red spots on Sue's
dress, and then, having taken those out, he began on Bunny and Charlie.
But the boys wanted to take out their own paint spots, and the painter
let them do it.

"There you are," he finally said. "I guess they won't show now."

"And my dress is nearly dry!" exclaimed Sue. "Oh, I'm so glad. Mother
won't know until I tell her. And of course I'll tell her," she quickly
added.

Sue was as good as her word. After she got into her room and the boys
had climbed down the ladder to go back and play with Bunny's little
ship, Sue changed into dry clothes.

Then, after the company had gone, she told her mother all that had
happened.

"I suppose it couldn't be helped," said Mrs. Brown with a smile. "I mean
about falling into the brook. But it would have been just as well to
come and tell me at once, Sue, instead of climbing the ladder. You
might have fallen."

"I didn't want the company to know about it, Mother!"

"That was thoughtful of you. But if you had fallen off the ladder the
company would have known about that, and it would have been much worse
than just being seen in a wet and muddy dress."

"Oh, I couldn't fall with Bunny and Charlie to help me!" declared Sue.

That evening, just before supper, after Charlie Star had gone home and
Bunny and Sue were playing out in the side yard, Mary called to them,
asking:

"Do you children want to run to the store for me?"

"Yes," answered Bunny, and Sue inquired:

"What do you want?"

"A little pepper," was the answer. "I forgot that we were out and didn't
order any when the grocery boy called to-day."

"We'll get it at Mrs. Golden's corner store!" said Bunny. "She keeps
pepper."

"All right," Mary agreed. "Wait and I'll get you the money. We don't
charge things at her store."

A little later Bunny Brown and his sister Sue, hand in hand, entered
Mrs. Golden's little store.

"Well, my dears, what is it to-day?" asked the old lady, with a smile.

"Some pepper, if you please," answered Sue.

"Red or black?" asked Mrs. Golden.

Bunny and