on the porch and no one seems
to know where Rosemary is. I saw you and Sarah from upstairs, or I
should have added her to the list of the missing, too."

"I wanted to show Rosemary my new fishing rod," Jack explained.
"It's a beauty and my uncle sent it to me from Canada."

Sarah stood up and shook a lapful of dirt from her frock.

"I think you are cruel to catch fish," she said indignantly.

"Why you eat fish, don't you?" retorted Jack. "Someone has to catch
them, you know."

Poor Sarah had no answer for this argument and she turned and
retreated to the house without another word.

"Queer little dick, isn't she?" smiled Jack to the doctor. "Crazy
about animals and always fussing over 'em. Well, I have to go dig
worms for bait--great day ahead to-morrow with nothing to do but
fish and try out the new rod."

"Good luck to you," called Doctor Hugh, going back to his office to
indulge in the rare luxury of a half hour's reading.

Vaguely he heard Aunt Trudy come in, speak to the two little girls
on the porch, and go on upstairs. He knew when Sarah came down
because she played "chop sticks" on the piano till Winnie came and
called her to go after a loaf of bread. The doctor wondered lazily
if the bread were a real need or a handy invention of Winnie's to
break up the musical program; she was quite capable of the latter.
After the piano was silenced, he lost himself again in his book to
be recalled by an undecided knock on the door. He waited, not sure
that it _was_ a knock. The timid tap came again and he called, "Come
in." The door opened, closed, and Rosemary stood facing him, her
back against it. In her hands she held a brown paper parcel.

Doctor Hugh stared at her in genuine amazement. She was breathing
quickly, as though she had been running, and the lovely color
flooded her face. Her eyes were almost black with excitement and a
touch of fear. But it was her hair that held her brother's
attention. Gone was the rippling glory, the gold-red mane that had
reached to the girl's waist. In its place was a soft aureole of
hair, standing out fluffily on the small head and curling under at
the ends.

Anger flamed in Doctor Hugh's face, then receded, leaving him white.
Before he could speak Rosemary's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, Hugh!" she sobbed. "I want my hair! And it's gone!"

For answer her brother opened his arms and she fled into them. She
clung to him frantically while she wept out her remorse and grief