“And mine was drowned, but I really was sorry after I did it. She wouldn’t stand up, and I grew cross and threw her into the water; but, of course, I never knew she had any feelings. There goes my new one now, riding the wheel which papa had made for her.” [Illustration] The girls clapped their hands with delight at the unusual spectacle. To think of a doll on a wheel! What would happen next? Just then mamma’s voice summoned them to the kitchen, where they found a great basket of little candy boxes in the forms of hearts, diamonds, half-moons, drums and cunning barrels. They packed the candy neatly and tied each box with a pretty ribbon. [Illustration] Then the boxes were placed in the basket, ready for the morrow, and the little girls departed for their homes. The next day proved to be fine, and soon after breakfast the children and their dolls were assembled in Janie’s yard. They were clad in pretty dresses, and looked as sweet and fresh as a lot of daisies. Then appeared two tallyhos, the one for the dolls being drawn by four curly white dogs. The Queen’s own boy-doll driver snapped the whip, and the air was at once filled with the noise of the barking of the dogs and the music of the bells on the harness of the restless steeds. The tallyho for the children was much larger, and was drawn by four cream-white ponies. They were all packed in like sardines in a box, the little Queen sitting in the midst of the dolls. The silver bugle was blown, the chains and bells jangled, and away they flew. They were barely started when they heard Dinah calling. She was frantically waving a red bandanna kerchief and beckoning them to come back. So back they went. “You done forgot me,” she shouted. “You! Why, Dinah, are you going?” asked Janie. “Co’se I is, and I don’t like to take no liberties nor nothin’, but I feel like I must tell you dat you done forgot anodder t’ing dat I consider mighty impo’tant to ebery picnic, and dat is de lunch what I’se been workin’ at dis long time.” [Illustration] This speech caused a hearty shout of laughter. Mamma came to help put in the hamper and baskets, and Dinah sat in state by the driver. With her red kerchief on her head and her yellow dress, she looked like a great bumble-bee hovering over the dainty doll flowers. As they rode away, mamma heard her singing her favorite song, “Der’s a good time comin’ by and by.” Perhaps she was thinking of the time when her leg would be turned around, or, perhaps, of how much they would enjoy the toothsome luncheon she had prepared. They had a fine ride, as it was a beautiful day, and they were all so perfectly happy. They sang and shouted, and were envied by all the boys in the village, who were deprived of these pleasures because boys are so dreadful in their treatment of dolls.