t Flyaway except her uncertainty. Susy was about
to appeal to her mother to take the little one away, when she heard the
hall door open and shut; her father and mother had gone out for their
walk.

It did occur to Susy that this was a great pity; and, indeed, it is
quite probable, Mrs. Parlin would not have left the house if she could
have foreseen how much her presence would be needed.

And after all it was Dotty Dimple, and not Flyaway, who made the whole
trouble. Flyaway was under every one's feet, it is true, and sat down in
the middle of the floor to comb and brush the kitty's head; but then she
never for a moment lost her temper: it was Dotty, the girl old enough to
know better, who was cross and disagreeable.

I am sorry to record this of Dotty, and so I will try to make a little
excuse for her. She was not well. She had hardly felt like herself since
that unfortunate boat-ride. She was sleepy and tired, and ought to have
gone to bed at eight o'clock--the usual hour. Then, again, the guests
were nearly all older than herself, and paid very little attention to
her. She thought she might as well have worn her calico wrapper as this
beautiful white delaine, for all the notice they took of her dress.

There was only one child present of Dotty's own age,--Johnny
Eastman,--and if he would only have played cat's cradle with her, all
might have gone well. But Johnny had not forgotten the severe correction
his father had given him in the stable with a horsewhip. Every time he
looked at his little cousin, the thought arose,--

"She was real mean to run and tell! I'll pay her for that--won't I,
though?"

Percy had promised to aid him in his revenge; and you will presently
learn what this was to be. Percy liked "cousin Dimple" very well; he was
only putting a wicked scheme into his little brother's head "just for
the fun of the thing."

The guests were talking of having a few tableaux and charades, like some
they had seen arranged by their older sisters.

"I don't care anything about their old tolly-blows--do you, Johnny?"
said Dotty. "Let's play 'I spy'--you and I."

"No, you don't catch me playing high spy with such a cross party as you
are, Dot Dimple."

"I wish you'd stop calling me a 'cross party' the whole time, Johnny
Eastman," replied Dotty, shaking her elbows.

Just then Susy came, and whispered a few words in her ear.

"No, I won't be hung! I'm sure I won't be hung!" cried Dotty, who was by
this time