They were never stinted but had been taught that waste was sinful; so the remains of the meal were put carefully by in the basket, which Zillah then hung up on a branch near at hand. As she did so the others set up a glad shout, "Mother's coming!" and sprang forward to meet her, while baby held out her hands with a crow of delight. "Well, dears, had you plenty of dinner?" Mrs. Keith asked, taking Annis in her arms and sitting down on the buffalo robe while they grouped themselves about her. "Oh yes; yes indeed! some left; and it was very good. Thank you for it, mother." "You quite deserved it; you have been dear, good children, taking care of yourselves and baby all morning, and not giving any trouble to anybody." How the young cheeks flushed and the eyes grew bright at these words of commendation from those dear lips. How they loved her for them, and what an increased desire to merit her approbation they felt swelling in their breasts. She could stay with them only a little while but suggested various amusements, some games they might play, some stories Zillah might relate to the younger ones. "Are you getting done fast, mother? can we sleep in our own home to-night?" they asked. "No, dears; for though the bedroom floors are cleaned there might be some dampness that would injure us. We will go back to the tavern for our supper and to sleep to-night; but to-morrow night we will be in our own home once more." "Not the nice home we used to have, though!" sighed Zillah. "No, daughter; but we must try to be content and thankful; and if we are, we may be as happy in the new home as we were in the old." With that the now sleeping babe was laid gently down on the robe, a light covering thrown over her, and with a charge to the others to take care of her, and a caress bestowed upon each, the mother hastened back to the house. "We're tired running 'bout and picking flowers, Fan and Don and me," said Cyril; "so won't you please tell us a story now, Zil?" "Yes; I'll tell you Androcles and the Lion; you always like that." "Yes; and then tell 'bout the girl that had a silk dress and couldn't run and play 'cause her shoes pinched," begged Fan. "Oh look!" exclaimed Ada in an undertone, "see those girls. They haven't silk dresses or shoes to pinch their toes. Don't they look queer?" The subjects of her remarks were two little maids--one about her own size, the other a trifle smaller--who were slowly making their way through the bushes toward the spot where the Keith children were seated. They had sallow, sunburnt faces, tawny, yellow locks straggling over their shoulders, and their thin, lanky little forms were arrayed in calico dresses faded, worn and skimpy: pantalets of the same material but different color, appeared below their skirts. Their feet were bare, and on their heads were sunbonnets of pasteboard covered with still another pattern of calico both faded and soiled. "Shall we ask them to come and join us?" queried Zillah.