ddenly realizing that this occasion was
fraught with more seriousness than any previous one of like character.
"You aren't going right off now to be a pirate, Sammy Pinkney?"

"Yes, I am," declared the boy.

"Not now? Not this morning? Not before your mother comes back from
marketing?" for she had seen Mrs. Pinkney's departure a few minutes
before.

"Yes, I am," and Sammy clinched it with a vigorous nod, although he had
not meant to run away until nightfall. People usually waited for night
to run away so it seemed to Sammy, but he was not going to have his
intention doubted.

"Oh, Sammy!" gasped Dot, clasping her hands across the Alice-doll's
stomach, "are--are there _girl_ pirates?"

"Are there what?" questioned Sammy in doubt.

"Can girls run away and be pirates, too?"

"Why--er--they wouldn't dars't."

"Yes, I would."

"You! Dot Kenway?"

"Yes I would," repeated Dot stubbornly.

"You want to be a pirate?" repeated Sammy. Of course he would rather
have a boy to run away with. But then--

"Why can't girls be pirates?" demanded the logical Dot. "Don't pirates
have to have somebody to cook and wash and keep house for them?"

"I--I don't know," admitted Sammy honestly. "I never read about any girl
pirates. But," as he saw Dot's pretty face beginning to cloud over, "I
don't know why there shouldn't be, if they wasn't too 'fraid."

"I won't be afraid," Dot declared, steeling herself as she had once done
when she was forced to go to the dentist's office.

"We-ell," began Sammy still doubtfully. But Dot was nothing if not
determined when once she made up her mind.

"Now, you come right along, Sammy Pinkney, if we're going to run away
and be pirates. You know your mother won't let you if she comes home and
catches you here."

"But--but we ought to take something to eat--and some clothes--and--and
a pistol and a knife--"

"Oo-ee!" squealed the little girl. "You won't take any horrid pistol and
knife if you're going to run off to be pirates with _me_, Sammy Pinkney.
Why, I'd be afraid to go with you."

"Huh!" grumbled Sammy, "you don't haf to go."

"But you said I could," Dot declared, sure of her position. "And now you
can't back out--you know you can't, Sammy. That wouldn't be fair."

"Aw, well. We gotter have money," he objected faintly.

"I'll run and get my purse," the little girl said cheerfully. "I've got
more than fifty cents in it."

But now unwonted chivalry began to stir faintly in Sammy'