Every day of the first week had been sunny, and here was Monday with the
bright blue sky overhead, and the little sunbeams dancing on the road.

"We had every lesson perfect last week," said Dorothy, "and I mean to
get 'perfect' this week, too."

"So do I," said Nancy, "and I can, if Arabella doesn't make me do half
her examples!"

"I don't think she ought to," Dorothy said.

"She doesn't _really_ ask me to," said Nancy, "but it's almost the same.
She says she can't do them, and says she could if some one was kind
enough to just show her how. Then I can't seem to be unkind, and the
minute I say I'll _help_ her, she pushes her slate and pencil towards
me. 'You can do 'em easier than I can,' she says, and instead of
_helping_ her, I do them all."

"Does Aunt Charlotte like to have you?" asked Dorothy.

"I don't know; I haven't told her about it yet. I don't want to be a
telltale," Nancy said.

"Of course you don't," agreed Dorothy, "but you know Aunt Charlotte says
that we are to be independent, and Arabella's anything but independent
when she doesn't do her examples herself. It's puzzling, though; mamma
says we mustn't notice her queer ways, and that we must be kind to her,
and it doesn't seem kind to refuse to help her with her lessons."

"Wait for us!" called a merry voice, and turning, they saw Nina and