talk to her, and was very glad that the lady had brought a book,
though she did not read much of it, for she was steering.

The only time Rosie did speak was when the great swan went gliding by,
and, lifting his wings, began to hiss at the boat in a rather alarming
manner. Then Rosie did touch Miss Peters's arm, asking, "Will he hurt
us?"

"No, dear; but we will not go very near that bank, as he has a nest
there, and might be angry if he thought we were going to disturb the
hen, who is sitting." And Miss Peters steered away from that end of the
lake.

Altogether Rosie passed a very happy day, and Miss Peters was so pleased
with her that when, after they had had tea together in the delightful
room that opened into the conservatory, she brought the child home, she
kissed her, saying, "Remember, Rosie, you must come and see me again. I
hope you have not been _very_ unhappy at not being at the picnic!"

Rosie laughed and shook her head.

"I don't think I have been sorry at all," she said; "I have been very
happy all the time, and I forgot about being disappointed."

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A PICNIC OF SEVEN.

We are the Smiths, and there are four of us, and next door to us live
the Browns, and there are three of them, so we are seven, and we are
great friends. We liked being seven better than being eight, because
it's like the poem; and I think that was why we never would let Jim
Batson join our party. He and his dog Pincher were always wanting to
make friends with us; but we told him there were enough of us without
him, and then he would go away, but only to come back another day and
try again.

When the spring weather came this year we made a delightful plan with
the Browns that on Saturday we would go into the park, which was a mile
off, and have games under the trees. When Saturday came it was a lovely
day; so soon after breakfast we started out, all seven of us, with our
dinners in our pockets. Willie Brown had the drum, and I had the
trumpet, and a fine noise we made, almost frightening our little Sissy,
who had to come because Mother was busy, and Bessie was minding Sissy,
and we couldn't have any fun without Bessie. Charlie put on an old
ragged coat, because Mother says he destroys everything; but Arthur and
Patty Brown looked very nice, and we made Patty the queen, and we were
her band playing to her.

Then all at once Jim Batson came out from among th