pecies of
weather-proof composition, but very finely carved, and much valued by Mr.
Breynton. It was a pretty thing--a water-nymph rising from an unfolded
lily, with both hands parting her long hair from a wondering face, that,
pleased with its own beauty, was bent to watch its reflection in the
water.

Altogether, the spot was so bewitching, that it is little wonder Gypsy's
work kept dropping into her lap, and her eyes wandering away somewhere
into dreamland.

One of those endless seams on a white skirt that you have torn from the
placket to the hem, is not a very attractive sight, if you have it to
mend, and don't happen to like to sew any better than Gypsy did.

She seemed fated to be interrupted in her convulsive attempts at
"run-and-back stitching." Winnie was hardly in the house, before Sarah
Rowe came out in the garden to hunt her up.

"Oh, dear," said Gypsy, as Sarah's face appeared under the apple-boughs;
"I'm not a bit glad to see you."

"That's polite," said Sarah, reddening; "I'll go home again."

"Look," said Gypsy, laughing; "just _see_ what I've got to mend, and I
came out here on purpose to get it done, so I could come over to your
house. You see I oughtn't to be glad to see you at all, but I am
exceedingly."

Sarah climbed up, and sat down beside her upon a long, swaying bough.

"Now don't you speak a single word," said Gypsy, with an industrious air,
"till I get this done."

"No, I won't," said Sarah. "What do you have to sew for, Saturday
afternoons?"

"Why, it's my mending: mother wants me to do it Saturday morning, and of
course it's a great deal easier, because then you have all the afternoon
to yourself, only I never seem to get time; I'm sure I don't know why.
This morning I had my history topics to write."

"Why, I wrote mine yesterday!"

"I meant to, but I forgot; Miss Melville said I musn't put it off another
day. There! I wasn't going to talk."

"Mother does my mending for me," said Sarah.

"She does! Well, I just wish my mother would. She says it wouldn't be good
for me."

"How did you tear such a great place, I'd like to know?"

"Put my foot right through it," said Gypsy, disconsolately. "It was
hanging on a chair, and I just stepped in it and started to run, and down
I went,--and here's the skirt. I was running after the cat. I'd put her
under my best hat, and she was spinning down stairs. You never saw
anything so funny! I'm always doing such things,--I mean like the