t be," said the little girl. "See how good he was to me."

They turned to join the rest of their party, and little Lois looked over
her shoulder, with one hand held fast in her father's, while with the
other she tightly clasped the precious doll.

"I saw the notice near the entrance when we came in, that a Scotch
farmer would play, and his little daughter would dance," said Uncle
Harry, "but that child is not much more than a baby. She cannot be more
than four. It will be amusing to see her dance, and Nancy Ferris will
enjoy it most of all."

They found the others reading the notice of which they had been talking,
and they were delighted when they heard what a very little girl it was
who was to dance.

They had a lunch served by girls dressed as dairy maids, and it was just
such a lunch as might have been enjoyed at a farmhouse.

The long table spread with its white cloth, and set with blue and white
dishes, was decorated by a garland of small sunflowers that lay upon the
cloth, down the centre, and the entire length of the table.

There were plates heaped with biscuit, there were dishes of both wild
and cultivated strawberries, and delicious cream to be eaten with them,
there were sandwiches and little cakes, honey enough to tempt the bees
to the feast, and the children thought it finer than a hotel dinner. How
they laughed, and chattered, as they enjoyed the spread!

Uncle Harry was in his sunniest mood, and told stories and jokes that
kept them amused, and seemed to be the gayest member of the party.

"Tell us a story about when you were a _little_ boy," said Flossie.

"My small niece thinks I'm nothing but a _big_ boy now!" he said.

"Well, the big Scotchman thought you were only a lad. I heard him say
so," said Flossie.

"When you were a boy were you ever naughty, _real_ naughty?" Floretta
asked.

She had been very quiet, and all were surprised at her question.

"Once upon a time, when I was little," said Uncle Harry, "I was very,
_very_ fond of good things, but the one thing that I liked better than
anything else was strawberry jam.

"I was always allowed to have it, but I felt sure that it would taste
even nicer if I had more of it at a time, and still finer if I could
have a long handled spoon, and eat it right from the jar.

"I used often to think how fine it would be if I, some day, could have
the chance to eat it that way, but I never could get even _very_ near
the jar.

"One day the opport