stories that she could not close her eyes for fright.

"This is the queerest house I was ever in," thought she, "and the
queerest bed. I s'pose it's made of pin-feathers, for they stick into
me awfully."

The bed was on the floor, and was founded upon woolsacks and buffalo
skins. The sleeping arrangements in this house were somewhat peculiar.
Mrs. Rosenberg was like the old woman in the shoe, and she stowed her
numerous family away for the night in as little space as possible. For
instance, the four youngest children slept together in one trundle-bed,
two at the top and two at the bottom, their feet coming together in the
middle. But Mandoline had left the trundle bed, and was lying on the
floor with her guest. The companion the trundle-bed--little Kosina--was
quite indignant at being deserted, and made a loud outcry, in the hope of
attracting her mother's attention.

"I don't want to sleep alone!" said she; "I don't want to sleep
_alo-o-one!_"

At another time Dotty would have laughed heartily. It was so absurd for a
child to be lonesome when there were three in the bed! But Dotty was too
low-spirited even to smile. Mrs. Rosenberg came up and boxed Rosina's
ears; and after that the trundle-bed subsided.

At last, when Dotty supposed it must be midnight, though it was only
nine o'clock, there came a loud knocking at the side door. She hid her
face under the coverlet, feeling sure it was either a wild Indian or a
highway robber.