it was long ago and we can't do any good by crying over it now.
Let us go and get something to eat. I made some nice little
rhubarb tarts this morning."

We went. In spite of new disappointments and old heartbreaks we
had appetites. And Felicity did make scrumptious rhubarb tarts!



CHAPTER IX. MAGIC SEED

When the time came to hand in our collections for the library
fund Peter had the largest--three dollars. Felicity was a good
second with two and a half. This was simply because the hens had
laid so well.

"If you'd had to pay father for all the extra handfuls of wheat
you've fed to those hens, Miss Felicity, you wouldn't have so
much," said Dan spitefully.

"I didn't," said Felicity indignantly. "Look how Aunt Olivia's
hens laid, too, and she fed them herself just the same as usual."

"Never mind," said Cecily, "we have all got something to give.
If you were like poor Sara Ray, and hadn't been able to collect
anything, you might feel bad."

But Sara Ray HAD something to give. She came up the hill after
tea, all radiant. When Sara Ray smiled--and she did not waste
her smiles--she was rather pretty in a plaintive, apologetic way.