owers of invention
were great. Rob and Teddy sometimes joined in these ceremonies, and
considered them excellent fun, although they did not understand half
that went on.

One day after school Demi whispered to his sister, with an ominous wag
of the head,

"The Kitty-mouse wants us this afternoon."

"What for?" asked Daisy, anxiously.

"A sackerryfice," answered Demi, solemnly. "There must be a fire behind
the big rock at two o'clock, and we must all bring the things we like
best, and burn them!" he added, with an awful emphasis on the last
words.

"Oh, dear! I love the new paper dollies Aunt Amy painted for me best
of any thing; must I burn them up?" cried Daisy, who never thought of
denying the unseen tyrant any thing it demanded.

"Every one. I shall burn my boat, my best scrapbook, and all my
soldiers," said Demi firmly.

"Well, I will; but it's too bad of Kitty-mouse to want our very nicest
things," sighed Daisy.

"A sackerryfice means to give up what you are fond of, so we must,"
explained Demi, to whom the new idea had been suggested by hearing
Uncle Fritz describe the customs of the Greeks to the big boys who were
reading about them in school.

"Is Rob coming too," asked Daisy.

"Yes, and he is going to bring his toy village; it is all made of wood,
you know, and will burn nicely. We'll have a grand bonfire, and see them
blaze up, won't we?"

This brilliant prospect consoled Daisy, and she ate her dinner with a
row of paper dolls before her, as a sort of farewell banquet.

At the appointed hour the sacrificial train set forth, each child
bearing the treasures demanded by the insatiable Kitty-mouse. Teddy
insisted on going also, and seeing that all the others had toys, he
tucked a squeaking lamb under one arm, and old Annabella under the
other, little dreaming what anguish the latter idol was to give him.

"Where are you going, my chickens?" asked Mrs. Jo, as the flock passed
her door.

"To play by the big rock; can't we?"

"Yes, only don't do near the pond, and take good care of baby."

"I always do," said Daisy, leading forth her charge with a capable air.

"Now, you must all sit round, and not move till I tell you. This flat
stone is an altar, and I am going to make a fire on it."

Demi then proceeded to kindle up a small blaze, as he had seen the boys
do at picnics. When the flame burned well, he ordered the company to
march round it three times and then stand in a circle.

"I shall b