t on
Sunday. And just a sweet cracker for tea."

"What makes you like the babies? They can't talk nor do anything. And
they are not as pretty as I am. Folks used to say when I was real
little, 'Oh, what a lovely child.'"

Marilla laughed, Jack did know that he was very good looking.

"They'll be pretty by and by. And they are real sweet. I like babies.
I like kittens and little chickens."

"I like a dog. Cats scratch."

"Not unless you torment them. Now I am going down stairs to put the
dishes on the table. Then I must go and help Bridget."

"Bridget won't let me come down in the kitchen. She chases me out with
a stick."

"Children are a bother in the kitchen. They ask so many questions."

Then his mother and Aunt Florence came home from church, and his
father with both babies asleep. He carried them upstairs.

Marilla was getting to be quite a handy table maid for all but the
heavy dishes. She placed them on the dumb waiter and started them
down stairs. Mrs. Borden took off the others. When the babies were
awake Marilla had to stay up with them.

Mrs. Borden dished the cream. "Jack will not have any today," his
mother said.

Jack sat still with his eyes full of tears but said not a word.

But he went to Sunday school with Marilla and behaved beautifully.

"If he was always as good as this," the child thought, "how I should
love him." He did not even tease for a walk, a thing she was quite
afraid he would do.

CHAPTER IV

POOR CINDERELLA

Oh, how busy they were and the babies took this opportunity to begin
the cutting of teeth. The auto came for Aunt Hetty. Some of the parlor
furnishings were packed away, everything swathed in linen. The closing
exercises of the kindergarten took place and Jack distinguished
himself by repeating a pretty little poem. In September he would be
six.

Then came the last week. They would go on Saturday. Sunday was Fourth
of July but it would be held on Monday. Trunks were packed, the last
bit of shopping done. The babies fretted and Marilla took them out
morning and afternoon with strict injunctions to keep on the shady
side of the street. It seemed to grow hotter and hotter. The child
lost her appetite and could not eat Bridget's choice tid-bits. Oh, how
her little legs ached, and her back felt sometimes as if it would fall
apart.

"It's good you are going," declared Bridget.

"You're almost a skeleton. Goodness knows I shall miss you enough, and
just be t