lly. "And the ones who finish first will be
pathfinders?"

"Yes, those who finish first, and put their dishes away properly,
Dolly--not just finish washing and drying. I'll be the judge. Come
on, Margery, we'll arrange the piles."

So the arrangements were made, and then, with each girl standing over
her own pile of dishes, they waited eagerly for the word.

"I'll start you," laughed Eleanor. "Now, are you ready? Take
dishes--wash!"

And at once there was a great splashing and commotion. But Eleanor
broke in with a laugh.

"Time!" she called. "Stop washing'"

Everyone stopped, and looked at her curiously.

"Here's a rule," she said. "I only just thought of it. Anyone who
breaks a dish is out of the race, even if she finishes five minutes
ahead of the next girl. Understand?"

"Yes," they cried.

"All right. Dolly, you kept on washing for nearly half a minute after
the others had stopped. When I give them the word to start again,
don't you do it. I'll give you a starting signal of your own. You,
too, Mary King! I'll call your names when you two are to start."

Then they bent to their piles again, and waited for Eleanor's "Ready?
Wash!"

Dolly and Mary King, forced to restore the time they had unwittingly
stolen from the others, waited as patiently as they could until they
heard "Now, Dolly!" and after a moment more, "All right, Mary!"

"Oh, this is fine sport!" cried Dolly, washing with an energy she had
never displayed before. "I think we ought to have races like this ever
so often. They're much better fun than most of the games we play!"

"Anything that makes you act as if you liked work is a fine little
idea, Dolly," said Margery. "But I haven't got time to talk--I've got
to wash. I never thought anyone could wash dishes as fast as you're
doing it!"

"I'm in practice," laughed Dolly. "I hate them so, that I'm always
trying to get them done just as quickly as I can."

And a moment later Dolly, to the general surprise, had put away her
last dish, an easy winner.

It was plain to her in a moment that the struggle, now that she was out
of it, would be between Margery and Bessie. They had finished washing
almost at the same moment, with Margery perhaps a couple of spoons
ahead.

"Hurry, Bessie, do hurry!" pleaded Dolly. "We've done so much together
up here, we ought to be pathfinders together, too. Can't I help her,
Miss Eleanor?"

"No, that wouldn't be fair, Dolly," laughed E