interesting."

"Thank you, little granddaughter," said grandmother, much amused, but
touched as well. "I'll be very glad to have a legger, but, after all, it
wasn't my eyes that were sprained, so I can read very well for myself. I
couldn't think of keeping you in all this beautiful day."

But Cricket begged to be allowed to stay with her, and stay she did. A
deft little nurse she proved. She initiated grandmother into the
mysteries of go-bang, and the "Chequered Game of Life;" she read in the
morning papers the articles that grandmother pointed out, and let
herself be taught checkers and backgammon, showing surprising quickness
in learning. At last she nearly paralyzed her grandmother by voluntarily
suggesting her going and bringing her knitting, to knit a little, "while
we just plain talk for a change," she said.

So the little maid ensconced herself in a chair near grandma's large
one, with her wash-rag. Grandma took up her knitting, also, and the
needles clicked, socially.

"Why couldn't you tell me a story? I always forget to talk while I'm
knitting, so I can't be very entertaining," said Cricket, laboriously
pushing her needle through her very tight stitches, and twisting her
face into a very hard knot. The boys said Cricket knit as much with her
face as with her fingers.

CHAPTER XV.

A KNITTING BEE.

"What shall the story be about?" asked grandma, her needles flashing as
they flew.

"When you were a little girl," answered Cricket, promptly, in the usual
formula. "Oh, grandma! I have an idea! haven't you a box of old things
that I could look over, and select something for you to tell me a story
about, like that dear old grandma in 'Old-Fashioned Girl?'"

"Yes, Jean, I have the very thing, and it's a good idea. Bring me that
little table that stands in the corner. That's right. Put it close
beside me. Now, open these drawers--yes, pull them way out. Now, lift
that dividing piece. You see the bottom is inlaid. Touch the second one
of the little black inlaid circles."

"A secret drawer!" cried Cricket, excitedly. "Oh, grandma! how book-y!"

"Yes. Grandpa brought this table from China, years ago. It is full of
secret places."

Cricket touched the spring, and the supposed bottom flew up, showing a
box below. The little stand was really more of a cabinet than a table,
though it had a flat top and rolled easily on its castors. In the box
thus opened were all sorts of things.

"They are all old ke