d the house of their newspaper's sole poetess.

Florence and Patty occupied themselves indoors for half an hour; then
went out in the yard to study a mole's tunnel that had interested
Florence recently. They followed it across the lawn at the south side of
the house, discussing the habits of moles and other matters of zooelogy;
and finally lost the track near the fence, which was here the "side
fence" and higher than their heads. Patty looked through a knot-hole to
see if the tunnel was visible in the next yard, but, without reporting
upon her observations, she turned, as if carelessly, and leaned back
against the fence, covering the knot-hole.

"Florence," she said, in a tone softer than she had been using
heretofore;--"Florence, do you know what I think?"

"No. Could you see any more tracks over there?"

"Florence," said Patty;--"I was just going to tell you something, only
maybe I better not."

"Why not?" Florence inquired. "Go on and tell me."

"No," said Patty gently. "You might think it was silly."

"No, I won't."

"Yes, you _might_."

"I promise I won't."

"Well, then--oh, Florence I'm _sure_ you'll think it's silly!"

"I _promised_ I wouldn't."

"Well--I don't think I better say it."

"Go on," Florence urged. "Patty, you _got_ to."

"Well, then, if I got to," said Patty. "What I was going to say,
Florence: Don't you think your cousin Herbert and Henry Rooter have got
the nicest eyes of any boy in town?"

"_Who_?" Florence was astounded.

"I do," Patty said in her charming voice. "I think Herbert and Henry've
got the nicest eyes of any boy in town."

"You do?" Florence cried incredulously.

"Yes, I really do, Florence. I think Herbert Atwater and Henry Rooter
have got the nicest eyes of any boy in town."

"Well, I never heard anything like _this_ before!" Florence declared.

"But _don't_ you think they've got the nicest eyes of any boy in town?"
Patty insisted, appealingly.

"I think," said Florence, "their eyes are just horrable!"

"What?"

"_Herbert's_ eyes," continued Florence, ardently, "are the very worst
lookin' ole squinty eyes I ever saw, and that nasty little Henry
_Rooter's_ eyes----"

But Patty had suddenly become fidgety; she hurried away from the fence.
"Come over here, Florence," she said. "Let's go over to the other side
of the yard and talk."

It was time for her to take some such action. Messrs. Atwater and
Rooter, seated quietly together upon a box on the other s