own to buy elastic and school things," said Meg.
"Mother gave me the money in this purse. Fifty cents is for you, and
the twins can spend a quarter."

The four little Blossoms set off on their errand, and Philip tagged
along after them. He wasn't interested in school supplies, but he
dearly loved a walk.

"I'll get the 'lastic first," decided Meg, when they reached the
street where most of the Oak Hill stores were. "Don't buy anything
till I get that."

The others waited while the elastic was measured and wrapped, and
after Meg had paid for it they went over to the fascinating counter
where all the things one needs in school were displayed.

"Hello!" said a girl who was looking at a blank book when the four
little Blossoms came up. "You been away?"

This was Nina Mills. She was an untidy looking child and her hands
were not very clean. But she smiled pleasantly enough.

"We've been in the country," Meg informed her, as Bobby and Twaddles
and Dot apparently couldn't find anything to say. "We went to see
our Aunt Polly."

"Oh," said Nina Mills. "That's nice. I wish I could go off on visits.
You coming to school Monday?"

"Bobby and I are," Meg answered. "The twins are too little."

The twins frankly scowled. How they did hate being "too young" to do
so many things they wished to do.

"Yes, they're too little," agreed Nina Mills. "You'll be in Miss
Mason's room. So'm I. I'm in Bobby's class. Well, I guess I have to go
now. Good-by."

"Good-by," said the four little Blossoms awkwardly.

"Now hurry up and let's get our things 'fore any one else comes,"
proposed Bobby, who did not like to talk to people he did not know
very well. "I'm going to buy this ruler that folds up, Meg."

Meg was busy trying a key in a pencil box.

"It's fifty cents and I can't get anything else, but look at all the
things in it," she said. "Pencils and rubbers and pens. I guess I'll
take this one."

The twins were examining a box of crayons and Dot was sure that she
could learn to write only with the box that held the most colors.

"An' I want two blotting papers, pink and blue," she told the
good-natured saleswoman. "An' a pencil with a blue stone in it."

"I'll take these chalk ones," decided Twaddles, choosing a box of
soft, chalky crayons. "I'd like a bottle of glue, too, and a red
book."

The red book was a little cash account book such as Twaddles had seen
Father Blossom use.

With their parcels neatly tied up, the fou