of games till the great round moon rose over the river, and then
they rowed home, singing as they floated along in the silvery moonlight.

Florence and Dimple sat side by side, in a sort of waking dream; and
Bubbles dreamed too, as was very evident when the boat landed, for she
was sound asleep, and had to be called and shaken before she knew where
she was. Then she blundered along behind the others, still so sleepy
that she forgot to take off her precious blue beads when she went to
bed, and in the night the string broke; consequently when she awoke in
the morning she found the beads straggling over the floor and strewing
the sheets.

"Didn't we have a good time?" said Florence, looking out on the
moonlight, as she stood at the window in Dimple's room.

"Yes," was Dimple's reply, "all but the snake. I don't like snakes."

But the next evening it was evident that Bubbles still bore the subject
of snakes in her mind. Mr. and Mrs. Dallas had gone out. Dimple,
Florence and Bubbles were sitting on the floor by one of the front
windows.

The air was full of the scent of the honeysuckle, and the katydids were
contradicting each other in the trees.

"What quarrelsome things they are," said Florence. "Do you suppose they
will ever find out whether katy did or not? I'd like to know what she
did, anyhow."

"Or what she didn't," said Dimple. "Bubbles, are you asleep?" giving her
a shake.

"Thinkin'," said Bubbles, sitting up straight and rubbing her eyes.

"Then what are you rubbing your eyes for?"

"'Cause it's dark. I can't see good," returned Bubbles.

"I declare," Dimple said, "I never know what to do with myself when
mamma goes out; it seems to me she is very intimate with Mrs. Hardy.
Florence, suppose you tell a story."

"Oh, I can't," replied Florence. "I never could. I never know what to
tell about. You tell."

"I don't know any except Cinderella and the Seven Swans, and those.
Bubbles will have to do it. Go on Bubbles, you've got to tell us a
story."

"Laws! Miss Dimple," giggled Bubbles.

"You needn't 'laws,' you know you can, for you've often told them to me;
now begin, right away; it will keep you awake if it doesn't do anything
else."

"Well," said Bubbles, smoothing down her apron, "oncet they was a
bummelybee, and a snake, and a bird."

"What kind of a bird?" interrupted Florence.

"Erra--erra--bluebird," said Bubbles.

"All right, go on."

"The snake wanted fur to git the bluebird, and t