which the girls could get down. They went into the living-room,
where Stella sat at the table, drawing.

"I'm ready to go home," she said, looking up as they entered.
"This is finished, and, anyway, it's getting so dark I can't see
any more."

"Dark!" exclaimed Marjorie. "Why, it isn't five o'clock yet."

"I don't care what time it is," said Stella; "it's getting awfully
dark, just the same."

And sure enough it was, and a few glances at the sky showed the
reason. What was undoubtedly a severe thunderstorm was rapidly
approaching, and dark masses of cloud began to roll over each
other and pile up higher and higher toward the zenith.

"It's a thunder shower, that's what it is," declared Stella;
"let's scramble down the ladder quick, and run for home. Let's all
run to your house, Marjorie, it's nearer."

Midge and Molly looked at each other.

There was no help for it, so Marjorie said: "We can't go down the
ladder, Stella, because it's broken down."

"What! Who broke it?"

"We did," said Molly; "that is, we were playing with it and
somehow it broke itself. Of course, we didn't do it on purpose."