Rosie sure
is mighty pretty!"

"Pretty? I should say she is! See her now. Don't she look like a little
flower--a sweet-pea or something? And do you know, George, if I was to
dress that way, with my size and my height, I'd look like a guy! Yes, I
would."

CHAPTER XI

THE TRACTION BOYS' PICNIC

They started off in time to make the half-past-five boat. George was at
his dressiest, so close-shaven that he looked almost skinned and
resplendent in new tan shoes, green socks, a red tie, and a pink shirt.
It was a striking combination of colour and one that made Ellen clutch
at her mother in despair. George carried a shoe-box of sandwiches, for
Rosie, always a thrifty little housewife, insisted that whatever money
they had to spend was not going for the commonplace necessaries of life.

Janet McFadden and Tom Sullivan, with a similar shoe-box, were waiting
for them at the corner. Janet, in her old black sailor hat, looked
dreadfully neat and clean, but for some reason even dingier than usual.
It was Janet's first view of Rosie's finery. Shaking her head slowly,
she gazed at Rosie several moments before she spoke. Then she said:

"Well, Rosie O'Brien, I must say you certainly do look elegant!"

Tom Sullivan was so flustered by the close vision of Rosie's loveliness
that, when he opened his mouth to say something, he could only splutter
unintelligibly and then blush furiously at his own embarrassment.

It is surprising, when one stops to think about it, how delightful a
mere street-car ride downtown really is. As Rosie sat there with her
plain but faithful friend on one side--hereafter she must always try to
be especially kind and gentle to Janet--and on the other her sporty,
grown-up escort, she had one of those rare moments of perfect content
and happiness. Old gentlemen smiled at her absent-mindedly as she
brushed aside the green streamers which the wind was forever blowing
across her face; young girls examined her critically; a mother across
the way distracted the attention of a weeping child by pointing her
finger and saying: "Oh, Eddy, look over there at that pretty little
girl! She's lookin' straight at you, and what'll she say if she sees you
cryin'!"... It was really a lovely, lovely world, and Rosie honestly and
truly hoped that everybody in it was happy.

They reached the boat at that delightful moment when the bell is ringing
and the deckhands are threatening to pull in the gang-plank in spite of
th