good view of what the children were doing, and how they looked. The child
did not know what Aunt Ninette would say to this, but she determined to
ask directly. At the door of her aunt's room she met Mrs. Kurd, who had
come to call them to supper. Dora made her request then and there, to be
allowed to go into the little garden, but her aunt said that it was now
supper time, and after supper it would be quite too late. Mrs. Kurd put
in a word in Dora's favor, saying that no one would be out there, and it
would be safe for Dora to run about there as much as she chose, and at
last Aunt Ninette consented to allow her to go out for a while after
supper. The child could scarcely eat, so great was her excitement. She
listened all the while for the sound of the returning wheels and the
children's voices, but nothing was to be heard. When supper was over, her
aunt said,

"You may go out now for a little while, but don't go far from the house."

Dora promised not to leave the garden, and ran off to search the hedge for
the opening she wanted. It was a white-thorn hedge, and so high and thick
that the child could see neither through it nor over it, but down near
the ground were here and there thin places, where one could look into the
next garden; but only by lying close on the ground. Little did Dora mind
that; her one idea was to see the children. She had never seen so large a
family, boys and girls, big and little, and all so happy and merry. And to
have seen them all climbing into the carriage and driving off together!
What a jolly party! She lay down on the ground in a little heap, and
peered through the hedge. There was nothing to be heard; the garden beyond
was still; the odor of the flowers was wafted to her on the cool, evening
air, and she felt as if she could not get enough of it into her lungs. How
beautiful it must be in there, she thought; to be able to walk about among
the flower-beds! to sit under the tree where the red apples were hanging!