Martha obediently brought four large rubber overshoes, and in a few moments the two aunts were following old Matthew in search of their wayward and erratic niece. The party paused under the apple-tree which Matthew had designated. But though the old ladies peered anxiously up into the tree, they could see nothing but leaves. "Lavinia," called Miss Priscilla, in a calm, dignified voice. No answer. "Lavinia," she called again, and still no sound came from the apple-tree. Then Miss Priscilla Flint, moved by the exigencies of the occasion, made what was perhaps the greatest effort of her long and uneventful life. "Ladybird," she called, more graciously; and a little voice piped down from the tree-top: "What is it, aunty?" Like the larger proportion of human nature, Miss Priscilla, having gained her point, returned to her former mental attitude. "Child," she said sternly, "come down at once from that tree!" "Why?" said Ladybird. "Because I tell you to," said Miss Priscilla. "Why?" said Ladybird. "Because I wish you to," said Miss Priscilla, with a shade more of gentleness in her tone. "Why?" said Ladybird, with two shades more of gentleness in hers. "Tell her she's going to stay with us," whispered Miss Dorinda; "tell her we want her to." But such was the perversity of Miss Priscilla's nature that a suggestion from her sister to do the thing she wanted to do most, made her do just the reverse. "You are to come down," she said, again addressing the top of the tree, "because I command you to do so. You are a naughty girl!" "Am I a naughty girl?" called back Ladybird; "then I'll stay up here and be naughty. It will make you less trouble than if I'm naughty down there." "Tell her, sister," urged Miss Dorinda. "Tell her yourself," said Miss Priscilla, shortly. Dorinda needed no second bidding. "Ladybird," she cried gladly, "come down, dearie. You are going to stay with us. So come down and be a good girl." "Of course I'm going to stay with you; I told you, and I told you true," chanted Ladybird, in her crooning, musical voice. "Then come down at once," said Miss Priscilla, whose patience was nearly exhausted. "Why?" said Ladybird, gently, but aggravatingly. "Because I want you," said Miss Priscilla Flint, with a sudden burst of whole-hearted welcome. "Because I want you to live with us and be our little girl,--my little girl." "All right, aunty dear, I'll come right straight smack down!" and Ladybird, gathering up her basket of fragments, began to scramble rapidly down through the gnarled branches of the old apple-tree. CHAPTER VII CIVIL WAR Miss Priscilla Flint was a lady who never did anything by halves or any other fractions. Once having accepted the fact that Ladybird was to remain at Primrose Hall, Miss Priscilla began to lay plans as to how her small niece should live and move and have her being.