ng people winning prizes and doing so many clever things."

"How you do go on, Mrs. Gray," said David. "You know very well you are
the brightest, youngest and prettiest girl in Oakdale."

Anne sat up at this moment, and looked into the faces of her best
friends leaning over her anxiously.

"I thought the boat capsized just as I was about to win the race," she
said faintly.

"The little boat did capsize, dear," answered Mrs. Gray gently, "but not
until after you had won the race. And now, if you are well enough to let
this strong nephew of mine carry you, we are going to take you right
home. Are all my Christmas children here?" she continued, looking about
her. Hippy and Reddy had joined the group just then. "Yes, here you are.
Tom and I can't take you all up in the carriage, but I want you to
follow us, if your parents and guardians have no objections. I have
arranged a little supper to celebrate Anne's victory. I am sorry she
can't come to her own party, but she may hear all about it afterwards
and the rest of you shall make merry for her."

Not long after, six young people strolled up Chapel Hill in the
moonlight, talking gayly of the happy days they had spent together with
Mrs. Gray; for Richards, the burglar, seemed now a sort of joke to them,
and even the terrible recollection of the wolves was softened by time,
and they could only laugh at poor Hippy's plight when his breath gave
out and his legs refused their office.

"Oh, well," exclaimed Hippy, pretending to be much offended, "it is a
very good idea to remember only the funny things and forget the
dangerous ones, when all's said and done. But if I'd have had a stroke
of apoplexy just as that young lady wolf began to lick my heels, you
wouldn't have been so merry over the recollection."

"Well," retorted Nora, "we would have been just about going into half
mourning, by now, and that's always a cheerful thought."

"Grace," whispered Jessica, taking advantage of the talk of the others
not to be overheard, "did you notice Miriam when Miss Thompson began her
speech?"

"No," answered Grace, "I was too intent upon Anne to look at Miriam.
Why?"

"Well," continued Jessica, "you remember that Miss Thompson mentioned no
names until almost the very end of the speech!"

"Yes," answered the other; "I remember it particularly, because I kept
wishing she would hurry and get to the point."

"Exactly," went on Jessica, "and Miriam thought she had won the prize."