ll pinning the hem.

"Pins," said Dot interestedly. "I counted three I thought you did.
Will they hurt?"

Meg looked down at Miss Florence anxiously.

"Bless your heart, I didn't swallow any pins!" declared the little
dressmaker, smiling. "It's a bad trick, though, and I always mean to
break myself of it. There, Dot, I've taken every one out of my mouth.
And now walk over by the door, Meg, and let your mother see if that is
the right length."

"Turn 'round slowly," ordered Dot, as Meg reached the door. Dot had
watched a great many dresses being fitted and she knew exactly what
one should do.

Meg laughed, and began to revolve slowly.

"I think that is a very good length," said Mother Blossom. "We shan't
need her again till after lunch, shall we, Miss Florence? I want her
to go uptown and get some elastic for her hat."

"And the school things, Mother?" urged Meg. "Can Bobby and I buy our
school things this morning?"

"Do you know what you want?" asked Mother Blossom. "I saw Miss Mason
yesterday, and she said you don't need very many things, Meg."

"Oh, Mother, Twaddles and I need some crayons," said Dot, tumbling
Annabel Lee out of her lap, much to that sleepy animal's surprise and
disapproval. "And a pencil box with a lock, Mother."

"You're not going to school," retorted Meg. "Is she, Mother?"

Mother Blossom put down her sewing.

"I don't see why my twinnies are so eager to go to school," she said
sadly. "What in the wide world should I do if all my children went off
to school and left me alone? Perhaps, Dot, you and Twaddles and I
can have our own kindergarten after Meg and Bobby get nicely
started."

"With a blackboard?" demanded Dot. "And inkwells and a cloak room,
Mother?"

Mother Blossom and Miss Florence laughed.

"I begin to think the other children are the attraction, not school,"
said Mother Blossom. "However, Meg must run along if she is to be back
by lunch time. I'll give you and Bobby each fifty cents, dear. And
suppose Dot and Twaddles have a quarter each to spend? Going to school
without a shiny new pencil box isn't to be thought of, I'm sure."

Meg and Dot ran downstairs and found Twaddles and Bobby had tired of
teaching Philip to jump through a hoop, and were busily cracking
stones in the driveway.

"Some of 'em might be valuable," said Bobby, when Meg asked him why he
was doing that. "I heard a boy talking about it once. Might have gold
or iron ore in."

"Well, we're going upt