"If we only had a book now, it would be fine to have Grandmother read aloud," remarked Blue Bonnet. "You wouldn't let Sarah bring any books," Amanda reminded her. "Nevertheless, methinks Sarah looks as if she had one up her sleeve," said Debby. "Not up my sleeve," Sarah confessed, "--but in my bag. I'll go get it,--it's 'Don Quixote,' in Spanish and English both." "Did you bring the drawn-work, too?" asked Kitty. "My, Sarah, but you are a first-rate smuggler!" "Now that suspicion has raised its snaky head, I'd like to know--why is Sarah, long after the dishes are done, still wearing that apron?" Blue Bonnet had sent a random shot, but to her surprise Sarah flushed to the roots of her blond hair. She rose hastily to go in search of "Don Quixote," but the other girls were too quick for her. They pitilessly tore the shielding apron from her shoulders, and the newly sponged and pressed middy jacket and khaki skirt stood revealed in all their guilty freshness. "They've been ironed!" gasped Kitty. "What do you think of that for selfishness,--not to let a soul know she had an iron?" demanded Debby. "I got it over at Mrs. Judson's. And none of you said you wanted an iron," said Sarah. "And do you mean to say that our Sarah, daughter of the Reverend Samuel Blake, wilfully broke the Sabbath by ironing?" Concentrated horror appeared on Kitty's saucy countenance. "She probably thinks 'the better the day the better the deed,'" said Blue Bonnet. "If Mrs. Judson could press Carita's dress, I don't see that it was any worse for me to press mine," Sarah protested. "I'm used to looking respectable at church." "It's no wonder you refused to sit by so unrespectable a crowd as the rest of us!" exclaimed Blue Bonnet. Mrs. Clyde was laughing inwardly, but she came to the aid of the unhappy Sarah. "I think good nature has ceased to be a virtue, Sarah," she declared. "Hereafter you have my permission to resort to violence if necessary to protect yourself. Quiet down, girls,--remember it is Sunday." Much relieved, Sarah brought forth the contraband book and the long peaceful afternoon was spent in listening to the various mishaps that befell the valiant Don and his faithful Sancho Panza. "If it weren't for setting a dangerous precedent, I'd tell Sarah how glad we all are that she defied the authorities and did some smuggling," remarked Kitty. She and Debby had gone to the creek to bring up the milk for supper, and now made a pretty picture as they came up the willow-grown path, bearing the tall cans. "You look like somebody-or-other at the well," Blue Bonnet declared as Kitty came into sight. "Are you sure you don't mean thing-a-ma-bob?" laughed Kitty. "If you mean Rebecca, I don't agree with you. I'll wager Rebecca never wore a middy blouse or carried a tin milk-can!"