While Caroline Was Growing

waist, defying the uncompromisingly straight

north by Mass'joosetts," she intoned in a monotonous chant. But her eyes were not upon the m

erything was reaching on tiptoe for the delicious thrill of May-and she was bounding Connecticut! It was idiotic. What was a knowledge

, bare from the knees, whistled by the window, jangling a can of bait, his pole balanced prettily on one ragged shoulder. As he reached the puddle, a pure inconsequence of go

?" she called th

guess!" he answered inv

to go to school,"

lling through the window to that Simms boy!" cried a dis

better than a common tramp, that boy," p

to go fishing," Caroline gr

He hasn't got them to wear. And he'd be

me Saturday he'd rather be a dog than

lized silence. Car

the voice at last. "Studyin

ind you

alks to me all the time,

resumed her roc

bounded 'n th' east by Rho Disland;

water. Her head was coifed in a fresh starched towel, giving her the appearance of a holy sister of some cl

her Superior you would make!

eprovingly. "You'd better go on with your lesson

nd sprouting leaves, wet flagstones and blowing fruit-blossoms, the heady brew of early

't it smell gr

py cloth and attac

d," she observed. "I b'lieve you'd

ine s

them," she sa

your aunty'll be here in a minu

entally friendly. Caroline

und; bounded 'n th' south by Long Islan

ad in cheerful smiles, his ears cocked becomingly. He paused, he waved a salute, and as a shrill whistle from behind struck up

elightedly; Katy'

cute little dog

py tail dejected. He paused in the middle of the walk, and at a sharp clap, as of two hands, he

of one who has paid for an orchestra-chair; Maggie had left the cookies a

as back again, erect and smiling, a small wicker basket balanced on his paws. Marching s

her own financial center, and Caroline ran for her bank. It was a practical mechanism, the top falling off at her onslaught with the ease of frequent exercise, and she returned in time to slip six pennies under the two hot cookies that Maggie had

ed across the grass and lifted a worn

said, with an awkward

d was going on, when he caught the hea

at him?" h

and appro

and tell her how d'you do," he commanded,

s paw, and barked with cheerful inte

had 'em for breakfast. I'm going to buy a bone f

horror-stricken. He nodded. "But I'll

sprang to

nd that barn and wait a

ly a boy-blushed under

ght; you needn't bother," he muttere

be out there in just a minute; hurry up,

barn, and Caroline

re you doing, Caroline?"

Only a plate of rolls was in sight; the place was ostentatiously clean and orderly. She sighed and pushed through the swinging door; the

From a drawer in the sideboard she abstracted a silver fork which she slipped into her pocket, adding, after a moment of consideration, a salt-shaker. Stepping to the door, she paused on the little porch for a hasty survey. The coast seemed clear, and she sped across the yar

ass, his head against the tree; his

luck?" h

d, as he took it, fumbled

pologetically, "but I knew Magg

eagerness to serve him. "I always did like greens," he

William

the dog, and stared as Carol

by-that's pre

nasty without i

don't us'ally eat

ning appetite of twenty, and Caroline watched him, her sympat

ot here," he suggest

than it used to be out here. It was the chicken-yard, and ashes and things got put here; but nobody keeps chickens any more, and this is all new grass

e to William Thayer a

line swelled with importance at the title. "I must have walked four or fiv

y!" cried she.

nd I had a little nap. It's nice and pretty all ar

uced a brown, aromatic stump; Ca

espectfully, patting William Thayer's

read in the paper about some kind of a firemen's parade there to-morrow, and if there's a lot of people, we'll earn something. We h

him knowingly; the little fellow grin

lly, "to walk from one town to anot

uses, outside the towns, you know. A church shed's as good a place as any. I do

ly, breathing deep breaths of

houses in the world-nor any

for schools, myself," he sa

hat the resolution of her life was taken. I

nced. "I shall-" A wave of joyous possibility

e burst out, and blushed furiously. Who was sh

Oh, you mustn't talk like that," he urged, laying one brown hand on her apron. "That wo

but she scowled sile

s, anyway. You see, you have to g

snapped Caroline. "I'm

able," he argued hastily. Carol

which were, if not fine, at least clean and whole, his flannel shirt finished

ck freckles, and plucked

, an' we don't want much. I don't see as we do any harm. It don't take much to live, anyhow; it's coal-scuttles an' lookin'-gl

tative silence. She shrugged her shoulders stubbornly

now. Here, take these," as she jumped up, forgetting the fork and th

come back," she said carel

w," he commanded. "I would

come back," she repeated,

e! where

silver. "You-you don't want 'em to

he looked all the incre

ried, "with a

ly. "You better go now. Much obliged for the breakfast. If I come back

ehind the stable, Miss Car

silver into her pock

ely, and, patting William Thayer

antly, "if you should want to take another nap," and, turni

e back of the stable. Then, lifting the dog over the nearest fence

Thayer," he said thoughtfully. "She seemed

t empty, hastily replaced the salt-shaker. The fork she laid in the pantry. Hard

he began, with evident self-control. "If you think I am

returned laconically

tramps and loafers have for you! You never got it from this family. Why do you like

Thayer wouldn't bite!" she retorted indignantly. "I think I might have thre

unt were as oil and water i

od you eat! You get more than the boys, a great deal. And boys ar

roline remarked impartially. "You ne

ch-basket; a fringe of red-and-white na

what are you goi

jogr

ley were white in the sidebeds; their odor, blown to her on quick puffs of west wind, filled her with a sort of pleasant sadness, the mingled sorrow and delight of each new spring. S

urposely to be naughty! It

d her foot deliberately upon the

lly interposed between her person and the cold stone, her chin in her hand, her eyes fixed and vague. Behind her a chorus of voices arose in the melody that accompanied a peculiarly tedious system of gymnastics; she scowled unconsciously. Before her, clear to the inward vision, lay a pleasant little pond, set in a ring of new grass. Clear lay the pebbles and roots at the bottom; clear was the reflection of the feathering trees about it; clear shone the eyes

ft, when the rattle of a particularly noisy wagon attracted her attention. She c

there!"

ne returned. "Y

egg-and-chicken m

in words, but clambered

in't you?" he queried.

nswered cautiously,

sed by such diplomacy

this morning?" she inquir

pair o' broilers," he informed

as early as you get up," Ca

o good and things looks so pretty, I don't mind. I'm glad I don't live in the city. It's al

fervently. They jogged

"but don't be scared. That horse won't move

eturned she w

ny worn path through one of these Caroline was hurrying nervously. She crossed the widening brook, almost a little

sturbed the stillness of the growing things. She walked softly, except for the whisper of brushing against the spreading bran

ng was moving through the dead leaves that had gathered among the roots and trunks. She started ba

ook, a little river now, bent in upon them in a broad curve, spanned only by stepping-stones. It ran full between its gr

fuls of dry leaves. Just as the flames shot up, the dog barked cheerily, and the lad turned to

at the Dutch!" he crie

man," said she happily, "and then I walked 'cr

over there a ways where those men are buildin' a fence; I'll bet they'll give us something. You look after

fence-rail crosswise on the top. There was a second of doubt, and then they broke into little sharp tongues of flame. With a sigh of pleasure, she turned from this success, and, opening the lunch-basket, laid the napkin on the ground and methodically arranged four sandwiches, t

o, he

nt she forgot. Then she welcomed them heartily and liste

alanced a tin pail carefully between the two crossed sticks in the heart of the fire, and unfolded fro

d bottles of it," he explained. "William Tha

ine n

she state

aid with satisfact

ring that slipped miraculously out of itself into a jointed cup, and dipped her a mug of hot coffee from the bu

I can have some warm. Anybody'd give me all I want if William Thayer dance

k in the cool, early dawn, with the cows ab

d the orange mathematically; the pie w

nner," he announced luxuriousl

ning tobacco was sweet in the air;

s from every law of home and duty, they were as peaceful and unthoughtful of yester

ighten and irritate those whom only custom has associated; and Caroline, flat on her filled stomach, her nose in the grass

the barn," he said, finally. "Did

grunted

you said," she assured him earnestly.

ver at her, but she

dn't any, but she said if he was very hungry she'd give him a piece of bread and but

oy ga

isn't just right for you to sa

know. I guess they're about the worst, though," she added with pardonable pride. "My cousin, the Captain, knows some more. He's twelve 'n a hal

panion

paused, confronted with

rted again, and

s different," he

e nodde

now," she

y over the stones, the white clouds raced along the blue

You're just a regular

hed with

dreamily. "I always go alone. I-I didn't know

led. Caroline's face

ie?" she

y ways. I tried to stay in school and-and all that, but soon as spring came

s name?" she

d his head to

instinctively the cloud on all this happy wandering. The spring had beckoned, and he had followed, helpless

h; the smile came again into his gra

th a humorous wink. "The winter's comin'

a frog live

one, Kit

frog lived

alone

edy tenor; the quaint old

he would a-

one, Kit

e air, and nodded to

cary, Kit

alone

with grimaces and bows to act out the song. His audience

ss Mouse, I'm

one, Kit

ss Mouse, I'm

thou canst

cary, Ki

alone

bons and shrilled the refrain, in

cary, Kit

alone

jumped up, pulled her to her feet, and with grotesque, skipping steps pirouetted around the dying fire. The dog waltzed wildly on his hind legs; Carolin

alone

ing as she gave chase. Through a field, across a little bridge they dashed. He flung the empty coffee-pail

miled at each other. Caroline laughed aloud, even, in sheer, irrespon

e after this, will it, Will

ine s

ll be there," she cried

as if he ha

er with us to-morrow, William Th

arer and put her

on't there be

ok his

ot," he sa

filled wi

regular little chum," she wh

as s

?" she pleaded. "I don't

thrilled at the touch of her fat little hand on his knee; the comradely glow in her

could take you with me-honest, I do. But you better stay home and go to sch

!" she urged warmly, her adm

kicked nervousl

ily. "I am, too. Oh,

ach other, troub

hey have to stay with their folks and keep nice. It's too bad, but th

y, "why do girls have to do all the missing? It's just what that

hink about it. You'll see. And you're not e

raising himself cautiously on one elbow, he saw that she had fallen asleep, her arm about William Thayer,

fs sounded around a bend, and a cl

mped out and strode angril

you, have I

Sh

t up a war

e whispered. "Are you

an st

. "Here, just lift her soft with me, and I'll be

her arm from the dog, they carried her lax little body carefully to the wagon and laid her on the clean straw in the bottom

ted to a boo

he whispered hoarsely. It

e added, still eying the boy uncertainly. "She

mply. "She'd ought to have been a

's face

y place, and I wouldn't mind the dog. I remember you, now. You

mber," he said. "No, I don't believe I want any jo

along?

his han

year, anyhow. Maybe-well, good-by.

nce more at the flushed cheeks and bro

the wagon started. Caroline scowled a little at th

r," he said. "I guess i