g!--it didn't make me think of a dog when I read it."

"M-m--yes, I'll be a mastif"--Blossom's voice was doubtful; it hadn't
reminded her so much of a dog, either, at the time. "An' so you'll
have good luck. You'll find your traps brim-up full, Judy! Then I
guess you'll say, 'Oh, how thankful I am I brought that child!'"

Judith caught the little crippled figure closer in a loving hug. "I'm
thankful a'ready!" she cried.

They hurried through the simple breakfast that mother had left for
them, and then Judith shouldered the joyous child and tramped away
over the half-mile that separated them from the old black dory.

"Now, Judy, now le's begin right off an' pretend! Go ahead--you
pretending?"

"I'm pretending. I'm a chariot and you're a fine lady in pink ging--"

"Ging--!" scorned Blossom. "Silk, Judy--in pink silk, a-ridin' in the
chariot. It's a very nice, _easy_ chariot an' doesn't joggle her
hip--Oh, I forgot she hasn't got any hips, of course! Well, here she
goes a-riding and a-riding along, just as comfortable, but pretty
soon she says--we're coming to the beautiful part now, Judy!--'I guess
I better get out an' walk now,' she says. Now pretend she _got out
and walked, Judy_--you pretending?"

"I'm pretending," cried Judy, her clasp on the little figure
tightening and her eyes shining mysteriously. Sometime the little
fine lady should get out and walk! She should--she should!

"Now she's walking--no, she isn't, either, she's riding, and it isn't
in a chariot, it's in her sister's arms, an' she's _Blossom_. Don't
le's pretend any more, Judy. There's days it's easy to an' there's
days it's hard to--it's a hard-to day, I guess, to-day. Those days you
can't pretend get out and walk very well."

"Pretend I'm an elephant!" laughed Judy, though the laugh trembled in
her throat. "That's an easy-to-pretend! And you're an--Oh, an Arab,
driving me! You must talk _Arabese_, Blossom!"

Blossom was gay again when they got to the dory, and Judith dropped
her into the bow, out of her own weary arms.

"Now say 'Heave-ho!--heave-ho'!" commanded Judith, "to help me drag
her down, you know. Here we go!"

"I don't know the Arabese for 'heave-ho,'" laughed little Blossom,
mischievously. "I could say it in American."

"Say it in 'American,' then, you little rogue!" panted Judith, all
her tough little muscles a-stretch for the haul.

They were presently out on the water, rocking gently with the gentle
waves. And Blossom w