to supper."

The hall clock struck eight.

"Oh, dear," sighed Dot. "Just as things get exciting we always
have to go to bed!"

"That's the whole story!" announced Father Blossom, pulling her
down into his lap for a kiss. "There's no more to tell, chicken,
if you should stay up till midnight to listen. No one knows what
became of the Harley family, and I believe their shack is slowly
falling to pieces. I haven't been to the Island for two summers--
not since Mrs. Harley went off, in fact. And now don't let Mother
have to tell you twice what time it is if you want to be invited
to ride in the front seat with me on the trip to Aunt Polly's."

"Wouldn't you like to know where they went?" sleepily murmured
Dot, toiling upstairs after Mother Blossom and Twaddles. "Wouldn't
you, Mother?"

"Very much," said Mother Blossom promptly. "Mrs. Harley was so
kind to me, always, and we liked the whole family. I only hope she
had relatives who could help her with the children."

The next morning Miss Florence came with her needle and thread in
the little leather case she always carried, and Dot, in the
importance of being fitted for a new frock, quite forgot to envy
Meg and Bobby, who hurried to school.

Father Blossom came home from the foundry early that afternoon,