es, and you slapped Frank; I saw you!" bawled Willie Snow, bobbing up
in his pew.

"And you took my book away and hid it 'cause I wouldn't go and swing
when you wanted me to," added Annette, the oldest of the Snow trio.

"I shan't build my house by Willie's if he don't want me to, so now!"
put in little Marion, joining the mutiny.

"I will tiss Dimmy! and I tored up my hat 'tause a pin picked me,"
shouted Pokey, regardless of Jamie's efforts to restrain her.

Captain Dove looked rather taken aback at this outbreak in the ranks;
but, being a dignified and calm personage, he quelled the rising
rebellion with great tact and skill, by saying, briefly,

"We'll sing the last hymn; 'Sweet, sweet good-by' you all know that, so
do it nicely, and then we will go and have luncheon."

Peace was instantly restored, and a burst of melody drowned the
suppressed giggles of Rose and Mac, who found it impossible to keep
sober during the latter part of this somewhat remarkable service.
Fifteen minutes of repose rendered it a physical impossibility for the
company to march out as quietly as they had marched in. I grieve to
state that the entire troop raced home as hard as they could pelt, and
were soon skirmishing briskly over their lunch, utterly oblivious of
what Jamie (who had been much impressed by the sermon) called "the
captain's beautiful teck."

It was astonishing how much they all found to do at Cosey Corner;
and Mac, instead of lying in a hammock and being read to, as he had
expected, was busiest of all. He was invited to survey and lay out
Skeeterville, a town which the children were getting up in a huckleberry
pasture; and he found much amusement in planning little roads, staking
off house-lots, attending to the water-works, and consulting with the
"selectmen" about the best sites for public buildings; for Mac was a boy
still, in spite of his fifteen years and his love of books.

Then he went fishing with a certain jovial gentleman from the West; and
though they seldom caught anything but colds, they had great fun and
exercise chasing the phantom trout they were bound to have. Mac also
developed a geological mania, and went tapping about at rocks and
stones, discoursing wisely of "strata, periods, and fossil remains";
while Rose picked up leaves and lichens, and gave him lessons in botany
in return for his lectures on geology.

They led a very merry life; for the Atkinson girls kept up a sort of
perpetual picnic; and