nd Molly. Dear things, if
it wasn't for them I should hate going home more than you do," answered
Jill, stepping along quite briskly, and finding it very hard to resist
breaking into a skip or a run, she felt so well and gay.

"Wish they could be here to-day to see the fun," said Jack, for it was
the anniversary of the founding of the place, and the people celebrated
it by all sorts of festivity.

"I did want to ask Molly, but your mother is so good to me I couldn't
find courage to do it. Mammy told me not to ask for a thing, and I'm
sure I don't get a chance. I feel just as if I was your truly born
sister, Jack."

"That's all right, I'm glad you do," answered Jack, comfortably, though
his mind seemed a little absent and his eyes twinkled when she spoke of
Molly. "Now, you sit in the cubby-house, and keep quiet till the boat
comes in. Then the fun will begin, and you must be fresh and ready to
enjoy it. Don't run off, now, I shall want to know where to find you by
and by."

"No more running off, thank you. I'll stay here till you come, and
finish this box for Molly; she has a birthday this week, and I've
written to ask what day, so I can send it right up and surprise her."

Jack's eyes twinkled more than ever as he helped Jill settle herself in
the boat, and then with a whoop he tore over the beach, as if practising
for the race which was to come off in the afternoon.

Jill was so busy with her work that time went quickly, and the early
boat came in just as the last pink shell was stuck in its place. Putting
the box in the sun to dry, she leaned out of her nook to watch the gay
parties land, and go streaming up the pier along the road that went
behind the bank that sheltered her. Flocks of children were running
about on the sand, and presently strangers appeared, eager to see and
enjoy all the delights of this gala-day.

"There's a fat little boy who looks ever so much like Boo," said Jill
to herself, watching the people and hoping they would not come and find
her, since she had promised to stay till Jack returned.

The fat little boy was staring about him in a blissful sort of maze,
holding a wooden shovel in one hand and the skirts of a young girl with
the other. Her back was turned to Jill, but something in the long
brown braid with a fly-away blue bow hanging down her back looked very
familiar to Jill. So did the gray suit and the Japanese umbrella; but
the hat was strange, and while she was thinking how na