Times, maybe," said Mrs. Miles, who had gone, like most of her sex,
through a chequered career.

"And weren't you glad when it got filled up to the brim again?"

"That I was," said Mrs. Miles.

"My heart was a bit starved this morning," said Betty; "but it feels
full to the brim now. Please, dear, good Mrs. Miles, leave us five alone
together. Go all of you away, and let us stay alone together."

"Meanin' by that you three ladies and them dogs?"

"Yes, that is what I mean."

The farmer bent and whispered something to his wife, the result of which
was that a minute later Betty and her sisters were alone with the
animals. They did not know, however, that the farmer had hidden himself
in the big barn ready to spring out should "them fierce uns," as he
termed the animals, become refractory. Then began an extraordinary
scene. Betty whispered in the dogs' ears, and they grovelled at her
feet. Then she sang a low song to them; and they stood upright,
quivering with rapture. The two girls kept behind Betty, who was
evidently the first in the hearts of these extraordinary dogs.

"I could teach them no end of tricks. They could be almost as lively
and delightful as Andrew and Fritz," said Betty, turning to her sisters.

"Oh yes," they replied. Then Sylvia burst out crying.

"Silly Sylvia! What is the matter?" said Betty.

"It's only that I didn't know my heart was hungry until--until this very
minute," said Sylvia. "Oh, it is awful to live in a house without dogs!"

"I have felt that all along," said Betty. "But I suppose, after a
fashion, we've got to endure. Oh do stop crying, Sylvia! Let's make the
most of a happy time."

The culmination of that happy time was when Mrs. Miles appeared on the
scene, accompanied by four little children--two very pretty little
girls, dressed in white, their short sleeves tied up with blue ribbons
for the occasion; and two little boys a year or two older.

"These be the twinses," said Mrs. Miles. "These two be Moses and
Ephraim, and these two be Deborah and Anna. The elder of the twinses are
Moses and Ephraim, and the younger Deborah and Anna. Now, then children,
you jest drop your curtsies to the young ladies, and say you are glad to
see them."

"But, indeed, they shall do nothing of the kind," said Betty. "Oh,
aren't they the sweetest darlings! Deborah, I must kiss you. Anna, put
your sweet little arms round my neck."

The children were in wild delight, for all children took imm