n tray.

"Put it in the preserve cup, a little strawberry flavour won't hurt it.
Next!" called Ellen.

A loaf of bread was produced and Ellen cut off a piece which filled the
sandwich box.

"Next!" A bottle of olives was unwrapped. The grocer's boy who was
waiting opened that, and Ellen filled the salad dish.

"Next!"

A bag of macaroons was produced and the cake compartment filled.

"Next!"

"I don't suppose this will make quite as good dog feed as a bird,"
laughed a girl holding open a bag of sliced ham while Ellen filled the
meat dish.

"Next!"

A box of candy was handed her and she stuffed every corner of the
lunch box with chocolates and nougat. Then it was closed and formally
presented to Elnora. The girls each helped themselves to candy and
olives, and gave Billy the remainder of the food. Billy took one bite
of ham, and approved. Belle and Jimmy had given up chasing the dog, and
angry and ashamed, stood waiting half a block away.

"Come back!" cried Billy. "You great big dunces, come back! They's a new
kind of meat, and cake and candy."

The boy delayed, but the girl joined Billy. Ellen wiped her fingers,
stepped to the cement abutment and began reciting "Horatio at the
Bridge!" substituting Elnora wherever the hero appeared in the lines.

Elnora gathered up the sacks, and gave them to Belle, telling her to
take the food home, cut and spread the bread, set things on the table,
and eat nicely.

Then Elnora was taken into the wagon with the girls, and driven on the
run to the high school. They sang a song beginning--

"Elnora, please give me a sandwich.
I'm ashamed to ask for cake!"

as they went. Elnora did not know it, but that was her initiation. She
belonged to "the crowd." She only knew that she was happy, and vaguely
wondered what her mother and Aunt Margaret would have said about the
proceedings.

CHAPTER VII

WHEREIN MRS. COMSTOCK MANIPULATES MARGARET AND BILLY ACQUIRES A
RESIDENCE

Saturday morning Elnora helped her mother with the work. When she had
finished Mrs. Comstock told her to go to Sintons' and wash her Indian
relics, so that she would be ready to accompany Wesley to town in the
afternoon. Elnora hurried down the road and was soon at the cistern
with a tub busily washing arrow points, stone axes, tubes, pipes, and
skin-cleaning implements.

Then she went home, dressed and was waiting when the carriage reached
the gate. She stopped at the bank with t