to do in the
house?"

"Just suppose you hadn't any house to stay in," remarked Twaddles
severely. "Then you'd have something to cry about."

Twaddles was usually very good indeed just when Dot felt like being
naughty. And when Twaddles was bad, Dot was generally as good as gold.
But sometimes they were naughty together, and now and then as good as
gold at the same time, but not often.

"There's nothing to do," sobbed Dot, using her pretty handkerchief to
sop her tears with and finding it not half large enough. "I'm tired of
paper dolls and I don't want to play school. Oh, dear, oh, dear!"

Aunt Polly, coming into the room in search of her pet thimble,
discovered the disconsolate Dot huddled on the sofa, and Twaddles
standing by her suggesting one amusement after the other.

"Never mind, honey," comforted Aunt Polly, sitting down on the sofa and
cuddling Dot into her lap. "I know something you haven't done and that
will be heaps of fun."

"That I never did?" asked Dot, sitting up to look at Aunt Polly.

"That you've never done," repeated Aunt Polly.

"Indoors or out?" asked Twaddles, standing on one foot excitedly.

"Out," answered Aunt Polly.

"Mother won't let me go out," wailed Dot, the tears starting again. "I
think it's mean."

"Mean?" said Aunt Polly. "Goodness, lambie, suppose you should be sick
when we had the play and the fair? No indeed, you mind Mother like a
good girl and you'll be glad when the cough is all gone. But this
thing I have in mind can nearly all be done in the house, and then
we'll get Sam and Twaddles to do the outdoor work. Then, when Bobby
and Meg come home this afternoon, maybe they won't be surprised!"

Aunt Polly and Dot and Twaddles put their heads very close together and
whispered for five minutes or so. The twins were delighted at the idea
of having a secret from Meg and Bobby who, of course, were often into
things that did not interest or held no place for Dot and Twaddles.

"Well then, that's settled," announced Aunt Polly, after they had
whispered their plan. "Now we'll go down to the kitchen and see Norah."

Norah was glad to see them, and when she heard what they wanted she
brought out a plate of stale bread and a thick chunk of clean white
suet.

"Sure ye can cut it up yourselves," she said to Dot and Twaddles, who
eyed the big carving knife fearfully. "Get your scissors. I cut the
stuffing for the Sunday chicken with the scissors, entirely."

So f