said no. Then, looking down at his farmer clothes, he added: 'Not
speeding, just melons.' And the dude believed him,--the goose! Then
Viola took it all in and she too thinks we were arrested for stealing
muskmelons."

The idea seemed so absurd to Tavia that she went off into a new set of
laughs, knotted together with groans--she had laughed so long that the
process became actually painful.

"Who told you?" asked Dorothy, as soon as Tavia had quieted herself
sufficiently to hear anything.

"May Egner. She stood by and heard the whole thing. But you must not
mention it to Alice," cautioned Tavia, "for she didn't hear it, and I
just want the Green Violet to think it is true, every word. It's a
positive charity to give that girl something definitely mean to think
about. I can see her mental picture of you and Nat and myself standing
in a police court pleading 'Guilty' to being caught in a melon patch.
Wish we had thought of it: there were plenty along that road, and I
have not tasted a fresh muskmelon since I stole the last one from the
old Garrabrant place. Ummm! but that was good!"

"Well, I am glad it is no worse," remarked Dorothy. "I had a suspicion
she was trying to insinuate something like that. And the idea of her
not believing that Nat was my cousin!"

"Oh, yes, and that was more of it," went on Tavia. "Tom asked Nat if I
was his cousin and he said yes. Wasn't Nat funny to tease so? But who
could blame him? I wish I had a chance to get my say in, I would have
given Greenie a story! Not only melons, but a whole farm for mine!"

"Lucky you were otherwise engaged then. I noticed you had your hands
full answering the questions of that crowd of small boys," remarked
Dorothy, smiling at the remembrance of Tavia's struggle with the
curious ones.

"But, Doro, are you really going away?" and Tavia's voice assumed a
very different tone--it was mournful indeed.

"Yes, I think it is quite decided. I would not mind it so much if you
were coming."

"Me? Poor me! No boarding school for my share. They do not run in
our family," and she sighed.

"But perhaps your fairy godmother might help you," went on Dorothy.
"She has granted your wishes before."

"Yes, and I promised her that time I would never trouble her again.
There is a limit, you know, even to fairy godmothers."

At that moment Mrs. White appeared on the porch.

"What was that I heard about godmothers?" she asked. "You know,
Dorothy,