his went where the ice wouldn't hold, and broke through.
Nobody knew just what to do, it was so hard to get to him on the
broken ice, and the man couldn't swim. Uncle Carl saw that he would
drown before help came, so he went right into the freezing water and
held up his head till they brought ropes."

"He wasn't drowned, was he?" Dora asked in an awestruck voice.

"No, but he was in the water so long that it made him ill. The other
man got well. It happened not long before Mamma died. Then, you know,
Aunt Zelie came back to us."

"You must be glad you are named for him."

"Yes, I am, only I am not good enough. I am afraid I shall never do
anything brave like that."

"I think, perhaps, little things have to come first," said Dora
wisely, adding, "He was helping, wasn't he?"

"I had not thought of that," said Carl.

As she walked home an idea came into Dora's head, which interested her
so much that "Water Babies" lay unopened on her lap for half an hour
that night. Next day she confided it to Bess and Louise, who highly
approved.

"Why, Dora, you are very clever. When you are grown up you will be as
good at thinking of things as Aunt Zelie," said Bess.

"You think of pretty good things yourself, Bess," added Louise.

"And so do you, for you first thought of trying to help the harp man,"
said Dora merrily.

"The G.N. Club meets to-night, and we'll ask the boys to let us in.
You come over to dinner," Louise suggested.

"They won't do it," said her sister positively.

"Oh, perhaps they will if we are very polite; we will try."

The weekly meetings of the G.N. Club had begun again with great
interest. No one enjoyed them more than Aunt Zelie, and nothing was
allowed to interfere with this engagement with the boys if she could
help it. However, it happened this evening that some old friends of
the family who were passing through the city on their way south
called, and it was impossible to excuse herself, so the boys were left
to their own devices.

Though the star chamber looked as cheerful as usual and Carl did his
best as host, it was not quite the same without her.

Jim recalled with wonder that first evening when he hoped she would
not come. The rehearsals for the harp man's benefit had made them all
feel very well acquainted with her and one another.

They were beginning work on some screens for the Children's Hospital
when there came a knock at the door. Ikey opened it and Carie walked
in.

"I cam