"Irving Eastman, what are you here for?" demanded Charlotte sternly,
trying to raise the curly beau so that she might look the culprit
in the face.

"Wanted to find you," came in smothered accents from her lap. "Me
and Tatterth got lonethome."

"Why didn't you stay with Stanley and the others?"

"Couldn't. Couthin Jothie came and took them out to walk, and I
couldn't go 'cauth I wath all blue."

"How did you get in here?"

"The door wath open, and I came upthtairth and then I couldn't find
you. But I found Arthur, and Tatterth and I thtayed with him."

The girls looked at each other in amazement.

"What did you do in Arthur's room, Irving?" asked Betty soothingly.

"I talked to him and he gave me thith." The purple cherub raised
his head and opening one fat hand displayed a small carved bear of
Swiss manufacture. "He thaid it could be my bear for alwayth," he
declared triumphantly.

"What did Arthur say when you walked into his room?" asked Dorothy.

"He laughed so hard I wath going to come away, but he called me