ey sugar. Rice paper pictures were also discovered crumpled up
in her tiny pocket, and she nearly smashed Will's ostrich egg by trying
to sit upon it.

"Here, Jim, take her away; she's worse than the puppies, and we can't
have her round," commanded the elder brother, picking her up and handing
her over to the little fellow, who received her with open arms and the
warning remark,

"You'd better mind what you do, for I'm going to 'dopt Pokey like
Rose did Phebe, and then you'll have to be very good to her, you big
fellows."

"'Dopt away, baby, and I'll give you a cage to keep her in, or you won't
have her long, for she is getting worse than a monkey"; and Archie went
back to his mates, while Aunt Jessie, foreseeing a crisis, proposed that
Jamie should take his dolly home, as she was borrowed, and it was time
her visit ended.

"My dolly is better than yours, isn't she? 'cause she can walk and talk
and sing and dance, and yours can't do anything, can she?" asked Jamie
with pride, as he regarded his Pokey, who just then had been moved to
execute a funny little jig and warble the well-known couplet,

"'Puss-tat, puss-tat, where you been?'
'I been Lunnin, to saw a Tween."'

After which superb display she retired, escorted by Jamie, both making a
fearful din blowing on conch shells.

"We must tear ourselves away, Rose, because I want to get you home
before sunset. Will you come for a drive, Jessie?" said Dr. Alec, as the
music died away in the distance.

"No, thank you; but I see the boys want a scamper, so, if you don't
mind, they may escort you home, but not go in. That is only allowed on
holidays."

The words were hardly out of Aunt Jessie's mouth when Archie said, in a
tone of command,

"Pass the word, lads. Boot and saddle, and be quick about it."

"All right!" And in a moment not a vestige of boy remained but the
litter on the floor.

The cavalcade went down the hill at a pace that made Rose cling to her
uncle's arm, for the fat old horses got excited by the antics of the
ponies careering all about them, and went as fast as they could pelt,
with the gay dog-cart rattling in front, for Archie and Charlie scorned
shelties since this magnificent equipage had been set up. Ben enjoyed
the fun, and the lads cut up capers till Rose declared that "circus" was
the proper name for them after all.

When they reached the house they dismounted, and stood, three on each
side the steps, in martial attitudes, w