oked over his shoulder. "Mammy, I wish you would
speak to Kitty."

"Speak to Kitty? certainly. How do you do, Kitty?"

Willy looked uncomfortable, but went on.

"I spoke for the Rangeley boat, and now she wants it. She always wants
it, and it isn't fair."

"I don't always want it, Willy! I haven't been in it for two days. I
think you are very unkind."

By this time Mrs. Merryweather had finished her sentence; she looked
up, and surveyed the two children with a half-abstracted gaze.

"Who are you?" she asked, abruptly. "I thought Kitty and Willy were
here."

Kitty took hold of the hem of her apron, and Willy felt of the knife in
his pocket.

"Who are you?" repeated Mrs. Merryweather in a tone of wonder. "You
should always answer a question, you know."

"We are Kitty and Willy ourselves!" murmured the children, the red
beginning to creep around their ears.

"Oh, no!" said Mrs. Merryweather, reprovingly. "Don't say such things as
that, my dears. I know Kitty and Willy perfectly well; they are brother
and sister, two cheerful, affectionate children, who love each other. I
don't know anything about you two; run away, please, for I am busy."

As the children moved slowly away, she called after them: "If you should
see Kitty and Willy, you might send them to me, if you please!"

Round on the other side of the big oak-tree, sheltered from the eyes
that looked so abstractedly over their glasses, Willy rubbed his
shoulders uncomfortably against the bark, while Kitty kicked a bit of
stick to and fro.

"There isn't any use in talking to Mammy when she does that way!" said
Willy, half to himself, but with a side glance at Kitty. "If she would
have only listened to me--"

"She never will!" said Kitty, responding to the half glance. "She always
says there is no need of quarrelling, and she doesn't see why she should
have to hear disagreeable remarks."

"Other children scrap," said Willy. "I don't see why we can't now and
then."

"Well, she just won't have it, Will, so where's the use? Never mind
about the Rangeley; you may have it, and I'll take the _Wobbler_."

"I don't care!" said Willy. "You may have her."

"So may you!"

Silence. Willy rubbing his shoulders, Kitty kicking her bit of stick.

Presently Kitty looked up brightly, and shook her curls back. "I've got
over mine, Willy!" she announced. "Are you getting over yours?"

"Ye-es!" said Willy, slowly. "I--s'pose I am."

"Why don't we go together?" as