last remark.

"Beefsteak and potatoes and pudding," said Polly. "That's enough.
We don't want to begin better than we can keep up."

Their lunch was over, and the dishes piled up, to be washed later,
when they should feel more like it; the girls had made themselves
presentable again after their labors, and were sunning themselves
like two young turtles, on the front steps, when they saw Alan
coming towards the house.

"Now, Molly," Polly cautioned her; "remember we aren't going to
tell that we are housekeeping."

"What have you been doing with yourselves?" inquired Alan, as he
sat down on the step below them and pulled his soft hat forward,
to keep the dazzling sun out of his eyes. "I came here just before
noon, but I couldn't start up anybody. Where were you?"

"How strange we didn't hear you!" said Molly innocently. "We were
here all the morning. Are you sure the bell rang?"

"I should say it did," said Alan. "I pulled it till I was tired.
You must have been deaf, or asleep."

"We weren't either; we were only just busy," answered Polly, with,
an air of importance which would have roused Alan's suspicions,
had not Molly come to the rescue by asking about her cousins.

"They're off driving, this afternoon," answered Alan. "They tried