"Dodo," cried Mollie as the child started up the walk, "scrape some of
that mud off your feet before you come up. You will get Betty's porch all
dirty."

"Name's Dora--not Dodo," the little girl answered, paying not the
slightest heed to Mollie's caution about the mud. "Dodo's a baby's name--
don't like it. Got something for you."

She stumbled heedlessly up the steps, leaving a trail of mud behind her,
and almost breaking her neck in the bargain.

"Now just look at Betty's porch," Mollie was beginning in exasperation
when Betty laughingly interfered.

"Oh, let her alone, Mollie," she coaxed. "The porch was dirty anyway and--
what's that you have in your hand, Dodo?"

"Sumfin' for Mollie," answered Dodo, leaning sulkily against the rail
while the girls regarded her anxiously. "An' if Mallie aren't nice to me
she can't have it."

"Oh, for goodness' sake be nice to her and get it over with, Mollie,"
urged Grace, uneasily conscious of the candy box she had shoved hastily
behind her. She was afraid one corner of it might show.

So Mollie got down from her perch on the railing and went over coaxingly
to the little girl.

"Give it to Mollie, honey," she begged. "I'll even call you Dora, if you
will."