“O, thank you, Dotty; on my third finger.”

“Now I’ve wished it on, Prudy; and its a good-enough wish for you, when you won’t pity me; but now I’m going up in the bathing-room to stay, and you can’t make me come down—­not a single step.”

“I shan’t want you to come down, Dotty.  There’s the very place I’m going to myself.  We’ll carry up the needle-gun; it’s the nicest thing to play with.  Come, let’s hurry up stairs the back way, little sister, for they’ll be out from dinner, and see us.”

Dotty needed no second hint.  In half an hour she was so far recovered from the megrims as to be hungry; when Prudy secretly begged some pudding for her of the willing Angeline.

Then the same little peacemaker went to her cousins, and made them each and all promise to be more careful of her sister’s feelings; after which there was nut-cracking in the wood-shed, and a loud call for Miss Dimple, who consented to go down after much urging, and was the merriest one of the whole party.

CHAPTER V.

PLAYING TRUANT.

For several days after her return Dotty Dimple was in a state of jubilee.  She had a great deal to tell, and the whole household was ready to listen.  Norah would stand with a dish or a rolling-pin in her hand, and almost forget what she had intended to do in her desire to hear every word Miss Dotty was saying.

Once, when she related her adventure with the pigeon-pie, grandma Read, who was clear-starching her caps, let the starch boil over on the stove; and at another time Mrs. Parlin was so much absorbed in a description of Phebe, that she almost spiced a custard with cayenne pepper.

All these evidences of interest were very flattering to Dotty.  Sometimes she took Prudy one side, and told her the same story twice over, to which Prudy always listened with unfailing politeness.  As I said before, while this excitement lasted Miss Dimple was in a state of jubilee.  But by and by the novelty wore off; she had told the family everything she could possibly think of, and now longed for a few pairs of fresh ears into which to pour her stories.  Everybody else was working for Christmas; Dotty alone was idle; for no one had time to give her a daily stint, and see that she accomplished it.

“After the holidays I shall have to go to school; so now is my time to play,” said she to herself, “and I ought to play every minute, as tight as I can spring.”

But she tried so hard to be happy that the effort was really very tiresome.  If she had only had something to do, I am almost sure she would not have fallen into the misfortune which I am about to record.

One day her mother sent her to a worsted store to pattern some worsteds.  A girl behind the counter gave her the right shades, and she slowly started for home.  It was about four o’clock of a November day.  Dotty, glancing idly at the sky, saw that the sun was already getting low.