before
him.

"I'm afraid you're going to think I was a pretty bad little chap," he
said.

"Oh, no, really we won't," they assured him, "do go on and tell us."

"Well," he continued, "it was a long walk to the church, and after I
had gone a way I sat down by the roadside to rest. Also I was very fond
of strawberries, so I took just a peep to see what it looked like. Then
I took, oh, just a little sample, to see how it tasted, and didn't I
smack my lips over it.

"And then, I'm ashamed to say what followed. Although I knew it was
wrong I ate more and more until a fourth of it was gone, then what was
I to do? I couldn't take it to the supper that way, so I decided to eat
it all and hoped my mother wouldn't ask any questions when I got back
home."

"Oh," giggled Jerry, "did you do it?"

"I almost did--there wasn't very much left when I started for home. My
mother didn't say a word when she saw me, because as she told me years
later, she didn't have to ask any questions, for my face was covered
with strawberry stains and little flecks of cream.

"Well, I went to bed early that night. I didn't feel any too well, and
before long a real pain came and danced up and down inside me. Oh,
wasn't I sorry I had eaten that cake.

"Mother came in then, and I felt better--well enough to tell her about
it. I said then I'd never eat strawberries as long as I lived. And I
never have."

[Illustration: "I think," answered Mary, "I shall call her Elizabeth
Geraldine for her two aunts."]

Jerry laughed until the tears rolled down her cheeks, and Mary said it
always happened to her that way, too, when she did bad things. Beth
thought how sweet it must have been to have a mother to comfort you,
for her mother had died when she was just a tiny girl.

"We must hurry now," said Uncle Billy, "if we want to hear the lucky
number called," so off they started.

CHAPTER VIII

AN EXCITING MOMENT

"We're just in time," announced Mary, "and here comes the man who sold
us the tickets."

The crowd drew closer to the high box which served as a platform, as
the man stepped upon it. The first thing he did was to open a shoe box,
which he had been carrying under his arm. He then requested anyone who
wished to step up so as to see that the numbers in the box ran from 1
to 100. Several people examined the slips in the box and seemed
satisfied that what he had told them was true.

"All right," he continued. "Now will some young lady st