on, Mollie."

Grizzel shook her head and set all the red curls bobbing; "I must
finish my chain first. You go. I won't be long."

Prudence and Mollie jumped the flower-beds again, Laddie, who had
fallen comfortably asleep among the dandelions, deciding after a few
lazy blinks to stay where he was. A slender boy in grey was waiting
for them in the veranda. He was like Prue, but fairer, and his eyes
were peculiarly clear and thoughtful.

"Come on," he said, "I'm ready for the furnishings now. What I want
is: first, a carpet; second, curtains; and third--third--a tin-
opener; but there is no great hurry for that. Where can I get a
carpet?"

"Schoolroom hearthrug," Prudence suggested promptly. "No one will
notice, and it's pretty shabby since I dropped the red-hot poker and
you spilt the treacle-toffee."

"And the curtains?"

"You can have the striped blanket off my bed," said Prue, after a
moment's consideration, "we can cut it in halves."

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Mollie. "Cut a blanket in halves! What
will your mother say to that?"

"Mamma won't know," Prudence replied calmly. "She never looks at my
bed, and, if she did, she would forget it had ever had a striped