how delightful it
was, that Marty at once decided, if her mamma approved, she would "join"
at the very next meeting. Of course she could not have been so
constantly with Edith without already having heard much about the band,
but she had never been so interested in it as this morning, and was now
very anxious to go to the meeting the coming Saturday.

"I'll run right home and ask mamma," she said.

CHAPTER III.

MARTY GETS STARTED.

"O Mamma!" cried Marty, bursting into her mother's room, "may I have--"

Then she stopped suddenly, for she saw her mother was sitting in the
rocking-chair with Freddie in her arms, evidently trying to put him to
sleep. He looked around when Marty came in so noisily, and Mrs. Ashford
said, in a vexed tone,

"O Marty! why do you rush in that way? I have been trying for half an
hour to put Freddie to sleep, and have just got him to lay his head
down."

"Now I will lay my head up," Freddie announced, and sat up with his eyes
as wide open as if he never meant to go to sleep in his life.

"I'm so sorry, mamma," said Marty, "but I didn't know he'd be going to
sleep at this time."

"It is sooner than usual, but he seemed so sleepy and was so fretful, I
thought I would just give him his dinner early, and put him to sleep
before our lunch."

"Maybe he will lie on the bed with me, and go to sleep that way, as he
did the other day," suggested Marty, who was always very ready to make
amends for any mischief she had caused. "Wont Freddie come and lie down
beside sister?"

"No, no, no!" said Freddie, shaking his curly head and pushing Marty
away with his foot.

"I'll tell you a pretty story," said Marty coaxingly.

"No, no," said the little boy.

"Pretty story about the three bears."

At this mention of his favorite story Freddie began to relent, and
presently stretched out his arms to Marty. Mrs. Ashford put him on the
bed, and he cuddled up to Marty while she told him the thrilling story
of the Great Huge Bear, the Middle-sized Bear, and the Little Small Wee
Bear; but long before she came to the place where little Silver Hair was
found, Freddie was fast asleep.

"What were you going to ask me, Marty?" inquired her mamma, when they
were seated at lunch.

"Oh, yes!" said Marty, in her excitement laying down her fork and
twisting her napkin. "I was going to ask you if I might have a box to
put tenths in, and if I mayn't belong to the mission-band."

"I thought you didn't wa