he others; her cheeks
grew rosy. Nancy piled her plate with every available dainty. Soon her
hunger left her, and she believed that she was intensely happy.

CHAPTER XI.

THE BURNT ARM.

After supper the excitement waxed fast and furious. The boys, aided by
the farmer and one of his men, proceeded to send off the fireworks. This
was done on a little plateau of smoothly cut lawn just in front of the
best sitting-room windows. The girls pressed their faces against the
glass, and for a time were satisfied with this way of looking at the fun.
But soon Nancy could bear it no longer.

"It is stupid to be mewed up in the close air," she said. "Let's go out."

No sooner had she given utterance to the words than all four girls were
helping the boys to let off the squibs, Catherine-wheels, rockets, and
other fireworks. Pauline now became nearly mad with delight. Her shouts
were the loudest of any. When the rockets went high into the air and
burst into a thousand stars, she did not believe that the world itself
could contain a more lovely sight. But presently her happiness came to a
rude conclusion, for a bit of burning squib struck her arm, causing her
fine muslin dress to catch fire, and the little girl's arm was somewhat
severely hurt. She put out the fire at once, and determined to hide the
fact that she was rather badly burnt.

By-and-by they all returned to the house. Nancy sat down to the piano and
began to sing some of her most rollicking songs. Then she played dance
music, and the boys and girls danced with all their might. Pauline,
however, had never learned to dance. She stood silent, watching the
others. Her high spirits had gone down to zero. She now began to wish
that she had never come. She wondered if she could possibly get home
again without being discovered. At last Nancy noticed her grave looks.

"You are tired, Paulie," she said; "and for that matter, so are we. I
say, it's full time for bed. Good-night, boys. Put out the lamps when you
are tired of amusing yourselves. Dad has shut up the house already. Come,
Paulie; come, Amy; come, Becky."

The four girls ran upstairs, but as they were going down the passage
which led to their pretty bedroom, Pauline's pain was so great that she
stumbled against Becky and nearly fell.

"What is it?" said Becky. "Are you faint?"

She put her arm around the little girl and helped her into the bedroom.

"Whatever can be wrong?" she said. "You seemed so lively