Abby Grant, who was supposed to be a good child, was very glad to take charge of Dotty, and called for her at two o’clock.

Aunt Louise was in the kitchen, whipping cream.  “O, my suz,” said Dotty, with shining eyes; “mayn’t I taste o’ those bubbles ’fore I go?”

Aunt Louise poured the foaming cream over some jellies, which stood in glasses.

“You shall have some to-morrow,” said she, pausing to kiss Dotty, her favorite niece.  Then she led the two little girls into the dining-room, where the long table was already spread for Company.  Dotty could hardly keep her hands off the nice things.

“There,” said aunt Louise, giving each of the children an orange, “now you may go.  Abby, be sure to take good care of Dotty.  Don’t trust her out of your sight one minute.—­Hark! there’s the door-bell.  You may go out of the house by the back-door.”

Then Miss Louise hastened from the dining-room, without looking back to see whether the children obeyed her or not.  Dotty was, in general, prompt to do as she was bidden by older people; but just now both the children found it hard to leave that tempting table.  They dared not taste the dainties, but Abby thought it could surely do no harm just to touch them.  But when they had gone as far as that, Abby, who was a sly, half-taught child, grew bolder, and a sudden impulse seized her to pocket a few sweetmeats, if she could only do so without being seen by Dotty’s keen eyes.

“Come, Dotty Parling,” said she, “you just go ask somebody to brush your hair; it’s all over your head.”

Dotty sighed as she cast a last glance at the table, and then, without a word, went up stairs, unwilling to be seen by aunt Martha with her “hair all over her head.”

Then Abby’s heart beat fast.  She heard voices in the parlor, and knew that at any moment some one might enter the dining-room, and discover her.  So making a hasty choice of two large pieces of jelly-cake, and half a dozen tarts, she swept out of the room just in time to escape meeting grandma Parlin.

Her pocket was stuffed quite full, and one end of a slice of cake peeped out, though she tried her best to press it down.  But Abby had a hope that no one would notice it through her white apron.

As Dotty’s hair was now in fine order, the two children set out on their walk.  They had gone but a few steps when Zip came trotting along, with all speed, looking up in their faces as if to say, “What have I done, that I can’t go too?”

“Queer what made him want to come,” said Abby, tartly.

“He loves his little sister,” said Dotty, stroking his nose.  “He shall go, he shall; he’s a darling.”

The dog kept beside the children, and every now and then Abby secretly punched him with a stick, while Dotty was patting his head, and chatting with him.

It was a long way to aunt Martha’s, and Abby, besides feeling guilty, and ashamed of herself, was also very anxious to eat the goodies which made such a bunch in her pocket.  Zip seemed to know there was cake somewhere, and sniffed about in a way which made her rather nervous.