t? Isn't she getting rather old for a
trumpet?"

"But she likes a trumpet better than anything, except a whistle,"
explained Madge hurriedly. "We all like trumpets or anything that
makes a noise."

"You are welcome to your noises so long as I hear nothing of them in
the schoolroom!" laughed Miss Thompson. "And you have chosen a knife
and a china tea-pot for yourself, I see. Well, now be quick and let
Mrs. Winter make up the bill."

"But there was a lot of other little things I want to get!" cried
Madge. "I have not had time to think properly yet."

Miss Thompson looked at her watch, and said that she would wait exactly
five minutes and no more. At the end of that period Madge with many
groans of regret was obliged to turn away from the counter, feeling
that if she only had all the time she wanted she would immediately put
back most of the things she had chosen and select fresh ones. Perhaps
it was just as well that she was rather hurried, for at this rate there
would have been no end to the shopping.

Mrs. Winter parted from her customers with many invitations to them to
return and see how the poor half-starved kitten prospered under her
care. She had already put him to bed in a basket in the back-kitchen,
after giving him two whole saucers of milk, that he drank without
stopping. Altogether it seemed probable that he would find the shop a
much more agreeable residence than the cellar, where, judging by the
prominence of his ribs, he must have kept himself alive on a very
limited supply of mice and black-beetles.

It was long past the usual time for schoolroom tea when Miss Thompson
and Madge returned home. The twins, it may be remembered, had been
climbing in the Eagle's Nest a good part of the afternoon, and were
consequently as hungry as people who have been playing for hours in the
open air have a right to be. They were waiting on the door-step when
the carriage drove up, and began at once to reproach Madge for being so
late, and to inquire what she had brought.

"Come along," said Miss Thompson briskly. "Not a word is to be spoken
until Madge has taken off her hat and we are seated at the tea-table.
If we begin to embark on our adventures now, we shall never get any tea
to-night."

The children grumbled, but they were forced to obey, as Miss Thompson
waited to see Madge walk upstairs before she took off her own jacket.
Long experience had taught her that if an exciting story was once
begun, e