ring yard. He bounded toward the fence, barking
furiously, and in a moment Nannie discovered that he had pushed open
the gate and was upon the street. She fled at full speed away beyond
the shop and down another street. At last a corner hid him from view,
and he did not follow her. She dared not retrace her steps for fear of
meeting him, and she abandoned all hope of a visit to the bakery. There
must be other ways back to the road, though, she thought, and she
wandered up one street and down another without coming to any building
that looked familiar. She had lost her way entirely, and grew more and
more bewildered as she wandered. The stars came out thickly in the sky,
and it seemed to her that she had been traveling for hours. Finally she
found herself in a quiet, unfrequented part of the town, and then the
brave little heart failed utterly, and frightened, homesick, and
terribly weary, she sank down by the road-side, sobbing bitterly. She
did not hear the sound of wheels, nor notice the horses drawn up beside
her, until some one called:

"Hello, little one! what's the matter?"

She had heard that neighborly voice too often not to recognize it now,
and she sprang up in wild delight. "Oh, Captain Hoyt! Take me home! Oh,
please sir, wont you take me home?"

"Home, chick-a-biddy? Why, who--little Nan Verling, I declare! Well,
if it isn't lucky that I didn't sell my apples till late to-day, and am
just going out! How in the world did you get there?"

"I lost my way," faltered Nannie, trying hard to conquer her tears when
she was safely in the wagon. "I came to buy a bandana handkerchief for
Aunt S'mantha."

"Bandana? Well, she'll need it, and a few cambric ones thrown in, if
she don't know where you are at this time of night," declared the
captain, whipping up his horses.

He was quite right; Miss Samantha was nearly frantic. She had sent to
every house in the village, and had learned from Tommy how her love of
neatness and carelessly expressed desire for bananas had together
worked mischief. But as a visit to the store revealed the fact that
Nannie had been there and had gone, Miss Samantha could think of
nothing but that most improbable resort,--the pond; and she had
gathered a party with ropes and lanterns, when Captain Hoyt drove up
and deposited the small maiden in their midst.

"I've got the handkerchief, Aunt S'mantha! and I'm so glad; but my
clothes are all spoiled, and I'm so sorry," began Nannie.

"Clo