Two little girls gazed at each other in dismay. "Have you lost it?" gasped Elizabeth. "If I haven't, where is it?" asked Marian. "Can't you remember anything about it?" Elizabeth went on, "when you had it last, or anything?" "No, I can't. Let's go straight back over the road and hunt. I must have dropped it and perhaps we may find it if we look. I can't believe it is really lost. Oh, Elizabeth, what shall I do if it is? I adore Miss Smith and what will she think?" "She won't think anything if you keep still, Marian; the letter was only an old advertisement, anyway." "Oh, dear, dear, dear!" wailed Marian. "This is dreadful. I don't see a thing that looks like a letter anywhere. I am going to climb a tree and look way off over the fields." Although the children searched faithfully, they could not find the letter. "We'll hunt at noon," suggested Elizabeth, deeply touched by Marian's distress, "and if I were you I wouldn't say a word about it." "But Elizabeth, what if she asks me if there was a letter?" "Fib," was the response. "It's enough to make anybody, Elizabeth." "You'll be a goose, Marian, if you own up. I won't tell on you and the letter didn't amount to anything, anyway. Let's run for all we're worth and get there before school calls if we can. Sure's we're late she'll ask questions." Just as the bell was ringing, two breathless little girls joined their schoolmates. Their faces were flushed and their hair was tumbled. Miss Smith smiled when she saw them, but asked no questions. Noticing Marian's empty hands, she said evidently to herself, "No letter yet!" "You're going to get out of this as easy's pie, just keep your mouth shut," whispered Elizabeth. "I shall have to tell," groaned Marian. "Don't be silly," Elizabeth advised. During the morning exercises Marian determined to confess no matter what happened. When the chart class was called to the recitation seat she raised her hand and was given permission to speak to Miss Smith. Marian didn't glance towards Elizabeth Gray as she walked to the desk. Elizabeth had never stolen cookies. "Miss Smith," said Marian, "you had a letter this morning and I lost it." "You dear child, I am so glad you told me," and Miss Smith who had so often insisted that a school-teacher must never have favorites, put her arms around the little girl and kissed the soft, brown hair. "Now tell me what was printed on the envelope if you can remember." Word for word Marian described the letter. "It is the one I was expecting," said Miss Smith, and while the chart class waited, their teacher wrote a letter, stamped it and sent it to the post-office by Tommy Perkins. Two days later, Marian carried Miss Smith a letter exactly like the one she had lost. Miss Smith read it, smiled and asked Marian to stay after school. "You're going to get your scolding at last," predicted Elizabeth. "I told you not to tell."