e's angry big
sister had said they might have been killed, which, from Dorothy's
standpoint, was censurable in the extreme.

"Aunt Peggy," she began at last, in such a forlorn little pipe that
Peggy was forced to steel herself against an immediate softening of
heart. "Aunt Peggy, I guess you'd better whip me. If you send me to bed
'thout any supper it wouldn't make me a good girl a bit, 'cause me and
Annie ate lots of cookies and I don't want any supper, anyway."

Peggy studied the sunset earnestly before she could trust herself to
reply.

"Dorothy, how often have you and Annie done what you did to-day?"

Dorothy was not certain, but it was evident that the diversion had been
tried on several occasions and Peggy's heart almost stood still,
realizing the peril to which the children had exposed themselves.
Without doubt their immunity was due to their very audacity. Apparently
the boar had not connected these fearless mites with human beings whom
he knew to be vulnerable, but had fancied them sportive elves, against
whom his tusks would be powerless. Peggy registered a vow not to let
Dorothy out of her sight again while the summer lasted.

"Why didn't you tell Aunt Peggy what you and Annie were playing?"

The candid Dorothy had an instant reply. "'Cause I didn't want you to
make me stop." It was clear that the sin had not been one of ignorance.
Peggy resolved to act upon Dorothy's counsel.

After the two reached home, the story had so many tellings that there
seemed a little danger of Dorothy's penitence evaporating in
self-importance. "I had the last turn, anyway," she boasted; "and he
runned faster with me on his back, too."

"Oh, if I'd only been there with my camera," lamented Amy. "Think what a
snap-shot it would have made." Then as Peggy frowned at her behind
Dorothy's shoulder, she subsided with a grimace of comprehension.

As Dorothy climbed the stairs to bed, it was understood that the hour of
retribution had arrived. Dorothy wept softly while undressing, and
uttered agonizing shrieks as she underwent her chastisement. Down-stairs
the girls looked at one another aghast, and Hobo whined uneasily, as if
asking permission to interfere. Then the uproar ended abruptly, and
Dorothy climbing upon Peggy's knee, pledged herself solemnly never again
to ride boar-back, a promise which stands more than an even chance of
being religiously kept.

Altogether Peggy was inclined to regard her methods of discipline as