rt of talk, though thinking it was scarcely
the season for Pussy-willows.

"She will say: 'The elder Berry? My dear boy, any dog ought to know the
way there.' You see she knows I am a Barker."

Edna laughed. "Go on."

"And I will say, 'Yes, madam, but that sassy Fras always tries to get in
my path. It is a very easy matter to whip poor Will, but sassy Fras is
another matter.' Then she will ask: 'Did you ever try to haze L. Nutt?'
and I will reply, 'Chestnuts!' for I don't like to talk about hazing,
being in a position to expect a little of it any day. Well, Ande, I must
be off or I will find Pip's sis away." Cousin Ben always called Edna
Ande because he declared that was what her name really was but had been
turned hind side before. Some persons, Edna's sister Celia and Agnes
Evans, for instance, called Cousin Ben a very silly boy, but Edna
thought his kind of nonsense great fun.

It was an afternoon in autumn. For some time past, Edna and her sister
had been going into the city to school every day, but this was the last
week when this would be done, for after this they would go only on
Mondays returning on Fridays till the days became long again. During the
winter when it was still dark at seven in the morning, and when the
afternoons were so short, it had seemed better that they should not come
home every day. Therefore, as Aunt Elizabeth Horner and Uncle Justus
wanted much to have them remain, it was so arranged. Edna was a great
favorite with her Uncle Justus, for she had spent the winter previous at
his house and had gone to his school. Then, on account of Mr. Conway's
business, the family had removed from the town in which they had
formerly lived and had taken a house a little out of the city.

Like most children Edna loved the country and was glad of the change. A
little further up the road lived her friend Dorothy Evans and her sister
Agnes, the latter was a little older than Edna's sister Celia. All four
girls attended Uncle Justus' school and so did Margaret MacDonald, the
adopted daughter of good Mrs. MacDonald who lived in the big gray stone
house with the lovely grounds. Margaret was having a pretty hard time of
it, as she had never had much opportunity of going to school and was far
behind the girls of her own age. Edna and Dorothy were her staunch
defenders, however and when matters came to a too difficult pass the
older girls were appealed to and could always straighten out whatever
was wrong. Frank