w all this
time. Paul was digging out the gutter 'longside the road 'cause he
thought maybe it might thaw. And he found it."

"How perfectly lovely!" exclaimed Meg, her face bright with pleasure.
"Now I'll put it in the velvet box, and never, never wear it again only
when Mother says to. Aren't you glad, Aunt Polly?"

"Yes indeed, darling," answered Aunt Polly, as Meg threw her arms
around her.

It was lucky Meg couldn't look forward and see when she would wear the
locket the next time, or she would never have been able to eat her good
supper so quietly. But she didn't know, and you will have to wait with
her till you meet the four little Blossoms in another book.

After the news spread about that Meg's locket had been found and that
Paul Jordan had found it for her, the children were more interested
than ever in the play and the fair which were to earn money for him and
his mother. Poor Paul had been in bed since the finding of the locket,
for digging in the snow had been work that was too heavy for him, and
his lame leg pained him more than usual. Meg went to see him with
Father Blossom and took him the ten dollars reward, which he was very
glad to get.

When the Saturday afternoon for the fair came, the Blossom house was
crowded. The fair tables were arranged in the living-room, and Norah
stood at the door to take the tickets. Aunt Polly had printed these,
and one of them and ten cents entitled the holder to "walk in and look
around." Another ten cents would entitle the visitor to a reserved
seat for the stuffed animal play.

They had the fair first, because in order to put in the chairs for the
audience for the play, it would be necessary to remove the tables. In
just exactly an hour and a half from the time the fair opened, every
single thing was sold, cake, ice-cream, lemonade, fancy-work-table
things, and all.

"Gee!" said Bobby, preparing to help Sam carry out his table, "I wonder
how much we made?"

"Oh, ever so much," guessed Dot. "Doctor Maynard bought the pink
pincushion, and I didn't know how much change to give him, an' he said
never mind, he'd forgotten how arithmetic went. Did you see Miss
Mason, Meg?"

"Yes. And she's going to stay for the play. And Mr. Carter, too,"
said Meg. "Maybe we'll feel funny playing with them watching us."

"No such thing!" Bobby was positive about it. "Anyway," he added,
weakening, "we'll have on our animal cases."

With much talk and laughter,