call again, so Tess whispered: "She thinks we've gone over to your
house--we can go on reading."

After a while Missy glanced up and nudged Tess. "Gypsy's still
there--just standing and looking at us! See her bright eyes--the
darling!"

"Yes, isn't she cute?" agreed Tess.

But, just at that, a second shadow fell athwart the sunny sward, a
hand pushed Gypsy's head from the opening, and Mrs. O'Neill's voice
said:

"If you girls don't want your whereabouts given away, you'd better
teach that pony not to stand with her head poked in the door for a
half-hour without budging!"

The ensuing scolding wasn't pleasant, but neither of the miscreants
had the heart to blame Gypsy. She was so cute.

She certainly was cute.

The second day of her ownership Tess judged it necessary to give
Gypsy a switching; Gypsy declined to be saddled and went circling
round and round the yard in an abandon of playfulness. So Tess
snapped off a peach-tree switch and, finally cornering the pony,
proceeded to use it. Missy pleaded, but Tess stood firm for
discipline. However Gypsy revenged herself; for two hours she
wouldn't let Tess come near her--she'd sidle up and lay her velvet
nose against Missy's shoulder until Tess was within an arm's length,