w how happy I am. And I know my Alice-doll will feel just as I
do."

Uncle Rufus' daughter, Petunia Blossom, came after breakfast with
several of her brood--and the laundry cart--to take away the good things
that had been gathered for her and her family.

Petunia was "fast brack," as her father declared--an enormously fat,
jetty-black negress, with a pretty face, and a superabundance of
children. To enumerate the Blossom family, as Petunia had once done for
Ruth's information, there were:

"Two married and moved away; two at work; twins twice makes eight;
Alfredia; Jackson Montgomery Simms; Burne-Jones Whistler; the baby; and
Louisa Annette."

Ruth and her sisters had purchased, or made, small and unimportant
presents for Neale O'Neil. Neale had remembered each of them with gifts,
all the work of his own hands; a wooden berry dish and ladle for Tess'
doll's tea-table; a rustic armchair for the Alice-doll, for Dot; a
neatly made pencil box for Agnes; and for Ruth a new umbrella handle,
beautifully carved and polished, for Ruth had a favorite umbrella the
handle of which she had broken that winter.

Neale was ingenious in more ways than one. He showed this at school,
too, on several occasions. It was just after the midwinter holidays that
Mr. Marks, the grammar school principal, wished to raise the school flag
on the roof flag-staff, and it was found that the halyard and block had
been torn away by the wind.

The janitor was too old a man to make the repair and it looked as though
a professional rigger must be sent for, when Neale volunteered.

Perhaps Mr. Marks knew something about the boy's prowess, for he did not
hesitate to give his permission. Neale went up to the roof and mounted
the staff with the halyard rove through the block, and hooked the latter
in place with ease. It took but a few minutes; but half the school stood
below and held its breath, watching the slim figure swinging so
recklessly on the flag-staff.

His mates cheered him when he came down, for they had grown fond of
Neale O'Neil. The Corner House girls too, were proud of him. But Trix
Severn, who disliked Neale because he paid her no attention, hearing
Agnes praising the boy's courage and skill, exclaimed in her sneering
way:

"That circus boy! Why wouldn't he be able to do all sorts of tricks like
that? It was what he was brought up to, no doubt."

"What do you mean by that, Trix Severn?" demanded Agnes, immediately
accepting her enemy