E-text prepared by Audrey Longhurst, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (www.pgdp.net). Four of the illustration were generously made available by the Rare Books & Special Collections of the Thomas Cooper Library, University of South Carolina. Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 15111-h.htm or 15111-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/1/15111/15111-h/15111-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/1/15111/15111-h.zip) RANDY AND HER FRIENDS by AMY BROOKS Author Of _Randy's Summer_, _Randy's Winter_, _A Jolly Cat Tale_, _Dorothy Dainty_ With Illustrations by the Author Boston Lee and Shepard 1902 Norwood press J.S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Norwood, Mass. U.S.A. Popular Stories BY AMY BROOKS. Each Beautifully Illustrated by the Author. THE RANDY BOOKS. THREE VOLUMES READY. 12MO. CLOTH. STRIKING COVER DESIGN BY THE AUTHOR. RANDY'S SUMMER. Price $1.00 RANDY'S WINTER. Price 1.00 RANDY AND HER FRIENDS. Price 80 cents, net For Younger Readers. A JOLLY CAT TALE. Large 12mo. Cloth. Profusely Illustrated. Price $1.00 DOROTHY DAINTY. Large 12mo. Cloth. Cover Design by the Author. Set in large English type. Price 80 cents, net CONTENTS CHAPTER I Through the Fields CHAPTER II A Cheerful Giver CHAPTER III Gossip CHAPTER IV The District School CHAPTER V Randy's Journey CHAPTER VI New Friends CHAPTER VII The Little Travelers CHAPTER VIII Just a Rose CHAPTER IX A Scotch Linnet CHAPTER X The Party CHAPTER XI Timotheus and His Neighbors CHAPTER XII Home ILLUSTRATIONS Randy and Snowfoot (Frontispiece) "I'll tell you just one thing more," said Randy As she looked from the window and saw the flying landscape As the smoke flew backward the flaming torch revealed the sleeping children Randy urges Polly to sing Randy and Prue sat under the shadow of the blossoming branches CHAPTER I THROUGH THE FIELDS The sunniest place upon the hillside was the little pasture in which the old mare was grazing, moving slowly about and nipping at the short grass as if that which lay directly under her nose could not be nearly as choice as that which she could obtain by constant perambulation. A blithe voice awoke the echoes with a fragment of an old song. The mare looked up and gave a welcoming whinny as Randy Weston, Squire Weston's daughter, crossed the pasture, her pink sunbonnet hanging from her arm by its strings. "Glad to see me, Snowfoot?" asked Randy as she laid a caressing hand upon the mare's neck and looked into the soft eyes which seemed to express a world of love for the girl who never allowed a friendly whinny to pass unnoticed. "My! but this August sun is hot," said Randy, vigorously wielding her sunbonnet for a fan.