restfallen tone,

"Who knew that she was a regular beauty, and who for a moment supposed
that she would be dressed like a city girl?"

"I said that if Miss Helen Dayton called her charming, I had no doubt
about it," said Nina, "and I am willing to say that she is even more
pleasing than I had imagined."

"It is her pretty, truthful manner that makes me like her," said Peggy,
"and I mean to be her friend while she is here."

Miss Dayton had seen at once that Randy was making a pleasant impression
upon the girls, and wondered if Randy was equally pleased with them.

"Well, Randy," she said after the girls had left, and together they stood
before the fire-place.

"Oh, I liked them," was Randy's quick reply. "They were so friendly. I
like Nina Irwin best, but they were all so pleasant that perhaps I should
not like one better than the others."

"Nina has always been a favorite with me," said Helen, "and as you really
liked the others I do not see that it matters that of the three Nina is
the favored one.

"They were evidently pleased with you, so you see you already have three
friends for school and two for home, for Aunt Marcia and I claim your
dearest love."

"Oh, I love you best," said Randy, "I care for you next to the dear ones
at home."

CHAPTER VII

THE LITTLE TRAVELERS

The crisp air stirred the bright yellow leaves which clung lovingly to the
birches, and a few dull red leaves still rustled upon the stout branches
of the oaks, but many of the trees were bare, and under foot there lay a
thick carpet of dried foliage through which the children delighted to
scuff their way toward school.

The squirrels scampered about the woodland, busily hoarding their winter
store of nuts, and in the field the crows flew around the ancient
scare-crow, cawing derisively at his flapping garments as if laughing at
his attenuated figure and mockingly asking him to partake of the husks of
the garnered corn.

Overhead the sky was blue and cloudless and upon the eaves of the
farm-house the tiny sparrows chirped a greeting to little Prue who stood
irresolutely upon the threshold, a wistful expression in her pretty brown
eyes, as she twisted one of her short curls and looked over her shoulder
to say good-bye to Tabby who lay in her accustomed place upon the large
braided rug beside the kitchen stove.

"Good-bye Tabby," she called, "it isn't any fun to go to school, now Randy
isn't here."

Aunt Prudence, who, tru