"I ought to be going--home," said Amy, with a little hesitating pause at
the word "home."

"Oh, do come in!" begged the French girl.

As they entered the yard the twins, hand in hand and solemn-eyed, came
down the walk to meet them.

"Oh, the dears!" gushed Grace.

"Isn't she too sweet," whispered Betty, as she caught up Dodo.

"And in need of soap and water, as usual," commented Mollie, drily. "But
Nanette can do nothing with them. They are clean one minute--_voila_!
like little Arabs the next! What would you have?" and she threw herself
into a tragic gesture, in imitation of the imported French maid, at which
her chums laughed.

"Have you a kiss for me, Paul?" demanded Grace, of the little fellow,
when she had replaced his sister on the walk.

"Dot any tandy?" came the diplomatic inquiry.

"Listen to the mercenary little wretch!" cried his older sister. "Paul,
_ma cherie_, where are your manners?"

"Has oo dot any tandy?" came in inflexible accents.

"I might find--just a morsel--if you'd kiss me first," stipulated Grace.