next.

How the days did fly after that.

Mary Jane would never have supposed that ten days could go so swiftly.
They took long rides in the car; had several fine picnics--with Dr.
Smith along whenever he could go; went fishing in the river miles away
and spent a day on a farm where threshers were working--a wonderful day
the girls thought for it was all new to them.

And finally it came time to pack the trunks and start for home.

Mary Jane had hard work deciding what to put in, just as she had had
when she packed to come. She wanted to take all the burr houses and
green apple dolls they had made; and the ducks and a lot of corn and
apples for Doris. She finally agreed that she would leave out all the
other things if she could take _one_ house of burrs and _one_ green
apple doll just to show how they were made and then a nice box of red
cheeked eating apples to give to her little friend.

It was decided to go home by the day trip. The journey was shorter
that way and Alice begged to go at a time when they might eat in the
diner. So they took the train at nine in the morning and would reach
home in time for dinner that night.

Mary Jane found it very hard to say good-by to Grandmother and
Grandfather. She had learned to love them dearly and they had been so
good and kind and thoughtful to her she would never, as long as she
lived, forget the happy days she had spent with them. But, nice as it
was to go away to visit, it was nicer still to be going home. Home to
her own dolls and toys and friends and duties--everything that Mary
Jane loved--that is, most everything, for it was hard to leave the lamb
and the duck now grown so big and interesting and the baby mice--the
new baby mice that had come to the barn loft family.

She waved good-by to her Grandmother and Grandfather as long as she
could see them--which wasn't very long for the train pulled away so
quickly from the little station where the Merrills got on; and then she
turned to her mother and said, "now let's talk about something quick."

"Very well," said Mrs. Merrill, "I was just wanting to do that. Let's
talk about what you are going to do this winter."

"Do this winter?" exclaimed Mary Jane in surprise, "I'm going to do
just like I always do. I'm going to play with my dolls and play with
Doris and sometimes with Junior and help you and everything like I do,
Mother."

"Think so, dear?" asked Mrs. Merrill, "how old are you?"

"I'm five," ans