with boys and girls who had come to see their chums and playmates act,
but with grown folks as well.

"Are you all ready?" asked Mr. Treadwell of Bunny, Sue and the others,
as the musicians finished playing the opening piece.

"Yes," answered Bunny. "I'm all ready."

"Is my hair ribbon on right?" Sue wanted to know.

"Yes, you look sweet!" said Lucile.

"Now all ready for act one!" exclaimed the impersonator as he made sure
that Snap was in his place.

And then up went the curtain on the meadow scene!

CHAPTER XXIII

ACT II

There was a moment of silence when the curtain first went up, and then
as the audience, many of them for the first time, saw the pretty meadow
scene, there was loud clapping. For the opening act was very nicely
gotten up. The scenery Mr. Brown had bought from the stranded vaudeville
company had been so set up by Mr. Treadwell that it looked very natural.

"Why, bless me, if that don't look jest like my south meddar!" exclaimed
old Mr. Tyndell, as he looked at the stage.

"Hush, father! The people will hear you!" whispered his wife.

"Wa'al, I want 'em to!" he went on. "That's a fine piece of meddar!"

Several sitting near the old farmer laughed, but no one minded it. And
then, as the musicians began to play softly, Lucile stepped out from
behind a make-believe stone in the meadow beside a pretend brook and
began to sing her first song. Every one grew quiet to listen.

The play, "Down on the Farm," had been changed somewhat by Mr. Tread
well from what he had first planned. This had to be done as he found out
the different things the boy and girl actors could best do. And the
first act had to do with Lucile, a lost girl who wandered to a farm
meadow near the house where Bunny Brown and his sister Sue lived, only,
of course, they had different names in the play.

Lucile sang her little song, and then she pretended she was so tired,
from having walked a long way, that she must lie down and take a rest.

It was while she was lying down on some green carpet that took the place
of green grass in the meadow that Bunny and Sue were supposed to come
along and find her.

Bunny and Sue had a little act to themselves at this point. They stood
on the stage and talked about the sleeping Lucile. Bunny said she looked
sad and he was going to cheer her up.

"How are you going to make her feel happy?" asked Sue.

"I--I'm going to turn a pepper--no, I mean a somersault!" cried Bunny,
st