"Never mind!" was her second thought; "there are not quite three
hundred numbers more, and half of those are on the other side;
besides, they skip lots of them."

So she walked on contentedly, keeping track of the numbers as
she passed along. They counted up fast, the houses were so
thickly set. Polly thought the occupants must all be out of
doors, for lounging men and women filled the doorways, and the
sidewalks were scattered with children. The air grew hot and
stifling and full of disagreeable odors. The little girl half
wished that she had not come. Then she remembered how pleased
Brida would be to see her kitten again, and that gave her new
strength and courage.

She was very tired when she came to the little shop numbered 703;
but with the glad thought that the "brown house" could not be
far off she began to look for it.

Directly across her way was stretched a jumping rope, which, as
she was about to step over, the girls at either end whirled up in
front of her. To the astonishment of the mischievous tricksters,
Polly skipped into time as adroitly as the most expert rope-jumper
could have wished, and the giggling pair almost forgot their part.
But they recovered themselves to give Polly a half-dozen skips.
Then, clearing the rope with a graceful bound, she turned to one
of the girls.

"Can you tell me, please, where Mrs. MacCarthy lives?--Brida
MacCarthy's mother?"