the way home.

CHAPTER V.

A SAD FRIGHT.

But the next afternoon, as the two little girls were walking home
together, Dotty said to Jennie, with a very wise face,--

"Grandma has told me what the Bible means. Now I understand every single
thing."

Jennie did not seem as much delighted as had been expected.

"She says God can get that camel through a needle."

"O, I remember," said Jennie; "you mean that Bible camel."

"There isn't anything He can't do," continued Dotty; "the richest men,
richer than your father, can get to heaven if God's a mind to take 'em."

"Not bad people," said Jennie, shaking her head.

"I don't know about that; she didn't say," said Dotty, looking puzzled.
"O, no, I s'pose not. God wouldn't be a mind to. For don't you see,
Jennie Vance, it's just _like_ a camel. There can't anybody go through
themselves unless God _pulls_ 'em through."

I don't know what Grandma Parlin would have thought if she had heard her
words chopped up in this way; but it made very little difference to
Jennie, who paid no attention at all.

"You're father'll get there," added Dotty; "so I thought I'd tell you."

"Your shoestring's untied," said Jennie, coolly.

"And I don't care now if you are the richest," said Dotty, stooping to
tie the string; "for God loves me just as well when I wear Prudy's old
things; and so do all the good people in this town, and the minister
too; grandma said so. I don't care how much you talk about our old
Deacon, or our eating molasses. That isn't anything! Grandma says its
harder for rich children to be good, and I told her I was real glad I
was half-poor."

"You're stepping right in the mud," cried Jennie.

"And then Grandma said that it didn't make any difference any way about
that, if I only loved God; but if I didn't love God, it did."

"There," said Jennie, "I haven't heard half you've said; and I guess
you've forgotten all about going strawberrying."

"I almost know grandma won't be willing," replied Dotty; "we've got
company, too; see those ladies in the window."

"All the better," replied Jennie, cheerily. "You go in and behave as
beautifully as ever you can, and your grandma'll be so busy talking,
she'll say yes before she thinks. That's the way my mamma does. Say
'Crossman's orchard,' remember, but don't tell which one."

So Jennie staid outside while Dotty entered the parlor softly, and stood
by her grandmother's chair, waiting the proper time to spea