It was nearly time for vacation. As the children were to start on the next Monday for Willow-brook, their mother allowed them to spend their last Wednesday afternoon with their cousin Florence. It fell to Prudy's lot to dress her little sister. "I'm ever so glad," said Dotty, "that the barber snipped off my _kyurls_. Don't you think I do look like a boy, now, Prudy? You may call me Tommy, if you want to; I'm willin'." "There, now," she exclaimed, when her toilet was made, "say me my lesson; please to, Prudy." "O, I forgot all about that" replied the little teacher, uneasily. "Susy 'll be done practising in half an hour, and I thought I'd just have time to make my doll's boots,--finish them, I mean. Can't you wait till Saturday, Dotty?" "O, my suz, Prudy Parlin! When I get to be a great sister to you, I won't treat you so. I want to get my letters all smooth done to-day,--don't want to wait till Sat'day." At any other time Prudy would have been gratified to see Dotty show so much eagerness. "Be kind to thy sister," hummed the gentle little teacher. "Yes, I will. I'm always glad after I've been kind. Nothing makes me love Dotty so well as to try to please her!" "Now," said she, calling her school to order, "you've learned as far as S, which I think is doing finely, all alone, with nobody to help us. This next letter stands, you see, for a _top_. What is it we drink out of cups?" "I don't get anything but milk, and that's in a mug," replied Dotty in an injured tone. "But what does mother drink? Now think." Dotty eyed the letter sharply. "Why, mamma drinks coffee sometimes, and it has grounds; but they don't look like that thing, the grounds don't! Why, that thing looks like a spade, with the teeth out, wrong side up." "You mean a _rake_" laughed Prudy. "Well, dear, this is T." When Dotty came to X, she declared it stood "for your thumb. Susy said so, and it was in the music-book." Now came an hour of triumph for the little pupil. Her mother was both surprised and delighted to hear that her youngest daughter knew all her letters. "She can say them skipping about," said Prudy, "and can spell a few little words, too." "C, a, t, cat, d, o, g, Zip," laughed Dotty, showing her deepest dimples, and frisking about the room. "My dear little ones," said Mrs. Parlin, kissing both the children, "I am really very much gratified. Both teacher and pupil have shown a great deal of patience and perseverance." These words from her beloved mother were most precious to Prudy. Dotty, though she did not know what was meant by patience and perseverance, presumed it was something fine, and laughed and danced in great glee. Nothing remarkable happened during the visit to Florence Eastman, except that Miss Dimple and Johnny were found running off the track of the upper railroad just one second after the engine started. Everybody was very much frightened when it was all safely over. But Dotty said,--