himself called "Pinkie" and is a little happy.

The surprise to me was that the boys were so much nicer to me than the
girls when Roxanne adopted me; but then it didn't make so much
difference to them. The girls are always together in all of the
important things of their lives, while most of the time the boys just
forget all about us, unless they need us for something or we get ahead
of them in class.

"I'm so glad that you are going to stay and have lunch with us
to-day," Belle said to me the first time I let Roxanne beg me into
bringing my lunch instead of going home for it, as I had been doing
every day to keep from seeming to be so alone, eating all by myself
while they had spread theirs all together out on the side porch or
even out on the big flat stone when it was warm enough. "When Roxy
wanted to invite you, I felt sure you wouldn't come."

Some people have a way of freezing up all the pleasure that they can
get close enough to talk over. Belle is that kind. She made me so
uncomfortable that I was about to do some freezing on my own account
when Mamie Sue lumbered into the conversation in such a nice, friendly
way that I laughed instead.

"I hope you brought a lot of food, for I'm good and hungry to-day,"
she said. "I ate so many biscuits for breakfast that I left myself
only five to bring for lunch. Our cook makes the same number every day
and I just see-saw my lunch and breakfast in a very uncomfortable way.
So many biscuits for breakfast, so few for lunch!" That jolly, plump
laugh of Mamie Sue's is going to save some kind of a serious situation
yet, friend leather Louise.