sh you would come to school now, and be in the
Closing Exercises. We need more girls."

"What for?"

"Oh, for the tableaux and things. We have a splendid program. Haven't
we, Tad?"

"How do you know he's Tad?" asked Dotty, laughing.

"I asked him," returned Clara. "It's the only way. Nobody can tell 'em
apart."

"'Cept Mother," said Tad, grinning. "She never makes a mistake. But the
teachers can't tell. I get kept in if Tod misses his lessons, and he
gets marked if I'm late."

"Don't you mind?"

"No; 'cause it evens up in the long run. Tod's better-natured than I am,
but I'm prettier."

"Why, how can you be?" cried Dotty; "you're exactly alike."

"Oh, _I_ can see it! I'm _much_ better-looking." Tad's honest, round,
freckled face was winsome but not handsome, and the girls laughed at
this make-believe vanity.

Dolly was at a table with the other Brown boy and Grace Rawlins and
Lollie Henry.

"Dotty Rose is pretty, isn't she?" said Grace.

"Awfully pretty," agreed Dolly, "and a nice girl, too. I like her lots."

"Some looker!" declared Lollie Henry, gazing with admiration over at
Dotty, who was laughing merrily.

"She's my sister," put in Genie, who was a restless spirit, and having
finished her supper, was roaming around among the tables talking to
different ones.

"So she is," and Dolly patted the glossy, black curls.

"Looks like a spitfire, though, if she should get mad," commented Tod
Brown, who was an outspoken boy.

"Oh, I don't think so," returned Dolly; and then she remembered the few
trifling quarrels they had already had. "No," she went on, "Dotty isn't
a spitfire; but when she gets mad she just flounces off and gets over
it."

"Just like a girl!" said Tod; "why don't you have it out, and done with
it?"

"That's what Bert always says," and Dolly laughed. "I guess girls and
boys are different about such things."

"I guess they are," said Grace, looking rueful. "Maisie May and I have
been 'mad' for two weeks now."

"Oh, how silly!" exclaimed Lollie Henry. "I'm going to get you two girls
together and make you make up!"

"Yes, let's," said Tad; "come on now; I've finished my ice cream,
haven't you, Dolly?"

They all had, and they followed Tad, who was ringleader in this game.
The others had mostly risen from the tables, and Tad told Dolly to get
Maisie and bring her over to their group.

Grace Rawlins looked a little uncertain. She honestly wanted to be
friends with Maisie but she