Clematis looked after Mr. Alder with longing eyes. He was going to feed the pigs. She longed to go too, but she knew she must help all she could. So she started in on the plates and cups. The water was hot, and she found it hard work to hold the china. Just as she was lifting a cup, it slipped from her hand. "Snick." "Gracious, what was that?" asked Mrs. Alder. She thought a good deal of her china. The cup was taken out. A piece was broken from the edge. "Oh, dear me. I have had those cups for twenty years. I guess I'll finish the dishes." Clematis said nothing, but turned very red. She almost cried, she was so ashamed. "Well, don't worry too much about it," said Mrs. Alder. "You can help me with the beds. I'm sure you can make your bed without doing any harm." "Oh, yes'm, I've made it already." "Made it already? When?" "Why, when I got up, before breakfast." "Mercy! Go right up and pull the clothes back. It must always air for an hour." Poor Clematis went up and pulled the clothes back to air. "How can I help, if every single thing I do is wrong?" Clematis spoke crossly out the window at the robin on the edge of the roof. Then she felt a crumb in her pocket, and pushed up the screen to throw it out. Mr. Robin flew away, and Mrs. Alder came in at that moment. "Dear child, what on earth have you put up that screen for? Do you want to fill the house with flies?" "No'm, I didn't know--" "Oh, well, never mind. You don't know much, I guess. I promised to take you, and I'll keep my word, but it's no use trying to fit city children into real homes." Mrs. Alder shut the screen with a bang. "There now, you run along out doors. I guess you and Mr. Alder will get along all right, but don't touch anything." "Hello, it looks like rain. What's the trouble, sister?" Mr. Alder smiled and pinched her cheek, as he met Clematis at the back door. "I tried to help," said Clematis, drying her eyes. "Oh, I see. You didn't do things quite right, did you? Well, I wouldn't fret about that. I don't do things quite right, myself." Clematis smiled through her tears. "Come on now, and help me pick some late peas for dinner. You will like that, I am sure." He took her hand, and soon she was happy again. "There, you picked two quarts, and did it well, too. Now take these up to Mrs. Alder, and tell her you can shell them out, every one, without hurting a thing." "Oh," said Mrs. Alder, in the kitchen. "You think you can shell peas, do you? Well, take them out under the maple tree. Then I won't have the pods all around the kitchen." And Clematis proved that she could shell peas, after all. Mrs. Alder gave her a cookie for her pay, and said she had done very well. "I guess you'll get along all right, if you stay out doors," she said. "Thanks," said Clematis, eating the cookie as she went out. She was glad enough to stay out doors. [Illustration: Clematis watched the little fishes by the shore]