Then, fun-loving Henrietta brought Rosa Marie from another room, removed her wraps, concealed them from sight and placed the stolid child in a sitting posture on a large tabouret near one of the richly colored statues. Next she rang for Greta, and ran downstairs in person to ask Simmons to come at once to remove the heavy packing case. Simmons obeyed immediately and just as the pair reached Henrietta's door, Greta, who had been in her own room, joined them. All three entered together. "Don't you want to see my lovely new statue?" asked Henrietta. "There, with the rest of my heathen friends." "Ho," said Simmons, leaning closer to look. "_That's_ wot came in that 'eavy box. Another 'eathen god from Hindia." [Illustration: "ANOTHER 'EATHEN GOD FROM HINDIA."] "He ees very pretty god-lady, Miss Henrietta," approved Greta. "Looks most like real." Rosa Marie, awed by her strange surroundings, played her part most beautifully. For a long moment she sat perfectly still. But, just as Simmons leaned forward to take a better look at her, Rosa Marie, who had suddenly caught a whiff of pungent smoke from the joss-sticks that Henrietta had lighted to create a proper atmosphere for her gods and goddesses, gave a sudden sneeze. The effect was all that could be desired. Simmons leaped backward and Greta, who was excitable, gave a piercing shriek. The hidden girls restrained their giggles, but only with difficulty; and Bettie said afterwards that she could feel Mrs. Slater shaking with helpless laughter. "My heye!" exclaimed Simmons, "wot'll they be mykin' next! Look! Hit's movin' 'is 'ead." Rosa Marie proceeded deliberately to move more than her head. Putting both hands on the tabouret, she managed somehow to lift herself clumsily to all-fours, balancing uncertainly for several moments in that ungainly attitude. Then she rose to her feet, and, stiffly, like some mechanical toy, stretched out her arms toward Henrietta. Greta backed hastily through the doorway; but Simmons eyed the swaying youngster with enlightened eyes. "Hit's a real biby, from Hindia," said he, "but think of hit comin' hall that wy in that there box. But them Indoos 'ave a lot of queer tricks and Hi suppose they drugged 'im, mide a bloomin' mummy of 'im and sent directions for bringin' of 'im to." "Take the box downstairs, please," said Henrietta, succeeding in the difficult task of keeping her face straight. "This is a little North Indian from Lakeville, Simmons, not an East Indian from India, and it was only some things that I'm not to look at till Christmas that came in the box." "Hi _thought_ hit was mighty stringe," returned Simmons, looking very much relieved and not at all resentful. "Hit seemed sort of hawful, Miss 'Enrietta, to think as 'ow 'uman bein's could tike such chances with heven their hown hoffsprings. But, just the sime, Miss 'Enrietta, Hi've 'eard of them 'Indoos doing mighty queer things, and Hi, for one, don't trust 'em." CHAPTER XXV Comparing Notes