dn't know how much that was, and didn't
want to say so, so I told him that I didn't quite like the kind, and
went off."

"You've a great mind, Charlie," said Allie approvingly. "Everybody here
counts by bits; two make a quarter; and then, you know, we don't have
any pennies here, nothing smaller than a five-cent piece. Remember that,
and don't offer anybody a penny, even if it's a beggar. Go on; what
next?"

"That's about all, for this time," he answered. "Oh, no; there's one
thing more. What's that queer place down south of here, all fenced in,
and with little bits of log cabins scattered around as if they'd just
been dropped out of a pepper-box?"

"That's Chinatown," said Allie, laughing at the accuracy of the
description. "We must get papa to take us there, some day. But now I
want to tell you something. You know Marjorie Fisher?"

"Can't say I do," returned Charlie flippantly.

"Yes, I know what you mean," interrupted Allie; "but you know who she
is, and you want to know her, herself, for she's great fun. She's
been--busy, this last week; but I had a note from her to-night, and she
wants us all to come down there to-morrow afternoon for a candy-pull. I
told her we'd go, so she's going to stop here after school and wait for
you and Howard, and we'll all go on together. The Everetts will be
there, too, and we shall be sure to have a good time; we always do at
Marjorie's."

CHAPTER IV.

ON THE CROSS-HEAD.

"The bees and the wasps were there.
The old queen bee, with fiendish glee,
Was pulling a hornet's hair.
The monkey thought 'twas rough;
He took a pinch of snuff,
And then the bees began to sneeze,
And left,"--

sang a clear, boyish voice outside, and the next moment steps were heard
on the piazza.

"Who's that?" asked Marjorie, glancing up from the skating cap, which,
with infinite pains, she was crocheting, in thoughtful anticipation of
Howard's birthday, the following summer.

"Charlie; don't you know his voice?" responded Allie, who was sitting
with one foot tucked under her, while she sewed the buttons on her shoe.

"How should I? I've never heard him sing," answered Marjorie.

"You will soon, for he and Ned are to lead the new choir at Easter.
Charlie seems to be feeling unusually comf'y to-day," said his cousin,
as the boy came in at the side door opening into the dining-room, and
walked over to the corner where they were sitting, curled up by the
stove.