reatly to Peggy's satisfaction.

That afternoon session was a protracted one. Lucy's attempt to master
algebra without a teacher, had been not unlike the efforts of a mariner
to navigate without a chart. Lucy's little craft had struck many a reef,
and was aground hard and fast, when the tug "Peggy" steamed up
alongside. The fascination of discovering a key to mysteries seemingly
impenetrable rendered Lucy as oblivious to the flight of time as Peggy
herself. When the girls on the porch called in to ask the time, and
Peggy glancing at the clock in the corner, replied that it was half-past
four, Lucy let her book drop in her consternation. Instantly her face
was aflame.

"Oh, it can't be," she said in dismay. "I can't have been here three
hours. What must you think of me?"

Peggy looked at her in a surprise more soothing to the girl's sensitive
pride than any amount of polite protest.

"Why, I've enjoyed every minute," she said simply. "And I think we're
beginning to see daylight, don't you?"

"Indeed I do. I didn't believe that such puzzling things could get so
clear in one afternoon. And I can't begin to thank you." Lucy gathered
up her belongings and made a hasty exit, while Peggy followed her out
upon the porch.

"Hasn't Dorothy come yet, girls? Then wait a minute." This last to Lucy.
"I'll get my hat and walk part way with you. I told Dorothy she might
play with little Annie Cole this afternoon but it's time she was home."

The two girls had covered about half the distance to the farmhouse, when
they were met by Rosetta Muriel who nodded, cordially to Peggy, and
stiffly to her companion. "We thought it was time Annie was coming
home," she explained. "Ma said you folks would get tired having her
'round. So I was just going for her."

The color had receded from Peggy's face in the course of this
explanation. "Annie! Why, I thought--"

"Ma told her she could go over to play with Dorothy. Didn't she come?"

"Why, I haven't seen her. I told Dorothy she might go to play with
Annie."

There was a frightened catch in Peggy's voice. Rosetta Muriel hastened
to reassure her, though with a distinct touch of patronage.

"It's nothing to get fidgety about. Those young ones are up to some
mischief, that's all. Our Annie's a whole team all by herself as far as
cutting up goes, and I guess your Dorothy is another of the same kind."

"But where can they be?" faltered poor Peggy, too engrossed with that
all-important que