brother had fallen into the bath-tub, which
was left half full of water, and was drowned. Picturing the remorse
of her heroine, and how they finally brought the baby back to life,
although he had been in the water all the afternoon,--of course Cricket
did not mind a little thing like that,--somewhat relieved her mind. By
supper-time she had sufficiently recovered so that she could allow
herself to smile.

Will came in from the post-office, waving a letter that finished the
work. It was from Hilda Mason, saying that she could come on Friday
next, as Cricket, with auntie's permission, had written, asking her to
do, to spend a week.

"Goody! goody!" cried Cricket, dancing around, with her dimples quite in
evidence again. "Won't we have fun! and she can write a story for the
'Echo,' too."

"What bliss!" remarked Archie, bringing all her curly hair over her face
with a sweep of his arm.

"It's a great honour to be a contributor to a paper, Mr. Archie, so,"
shaking back her hair, and pulling his.

"Especially for one that pays so liberally as the 'Echo,'" teased
Archie.

"You're a model of sarcasticity, I suppose you think," said Cricket,
tossing her head. "Auntie, will you take us to Plymouth some day? I
know Hilda will want to see Plymouth Rock."

"Watch her that she doesn't carry it off in her pocket," advised Archie.

"And all the other interesting things in Plymouth," went on Cricket,
turning her back on him. "And we'll go over to Bear Island for a picnic,
girls."

"Yes, if you'll promise--" began Edna.

"Goodness, yes! if you won't say anything more about it," interrupted
Cricket, hastily. "And, oh, auntie! couldn't we have some charades? Some
real, regular charades, I mean, not little ones all by ourselves."

"I'll be in them, if you'll have something I like," offered Archie,
condescendingly.

"If we have any charades, you may be sure we won't ask you," returned
Cricket, crushingly. "I'll have Will, though. He's a very good actress,
and he doesn't spoil everything, as some other people do."

"Thank you," said Will, making a bow, with his hand on his heart.

"I'm out of it, then," said Archie, "for I know I'm not a good actress."

"Of course I meant actor. There isn't much difference, anyway. Just two
letters. Anyway, we'll have a beautiful time. You'll have Edna, Eunice,
and I'll have Hilda."

"What do you suppose would happen if it should chance to be a rainy
week, and I should have you all on my