“It’s hopeless,” said Marjorie, as she looked around at the untidy room.

“Not a bit of it!” declared Molly; “if I only had a decent broom instead of this old stub!  Now, I’ll sweep, Mopsy, and you find something that’ll do for a duster, and we’ll straighten up the place in less than no time.”

Molly was a brave little housekeeper, and though Marjorie knew less about it, she was an apt pupil, and the whole performance seemed great fun.  In less than an hour the two girls had quite transformed the room.  Everything was clean and tidy, and Marjorie had scampered out and picked a bunch of daisies and clover to decorate the mantel.

“They haven’t any pretty things,” she said, as she scowled at the effect of her bouquet in an old cracked jar.  “I’ll tell you what, Molly, let’s come back to-morrow and bring some little traps to decorate with.  I can spare a number of things out of my own room; and Grandma will give me some, I know; and Uncle Steve will give me some, too.”

“Yes, I can bring a lot,” said Molly, with enthusiasm; “let’s make this family all over.  Let’s make them be neat and tidy and thrifty.”

“Do you suppose we can?” said Marjorie, doubtfully.

“Well, we can try,” said Molly.  “Now let’s call them in, and then let’s go home.  It must be dinner-time, and I’m nearly starved.”

They opened the door and found the Dunn family apparently happy and contented; and in no wise disturbed by the unusual occupation of their visitors.

“Come in,” cried Marjorie, “come in all of you, and see how nice your room looks!”

“I can’t come just now,” said Elegant Ella, whose speech was rather indistinct by reason of several pins held in her mouth.  “I’m trimming my hat, and if I leave it now I’ll forget how I was going to arrange the feather.”

“I think I won’t move just at present,” said Mrs. Dunn.  “The gettin’ out here hurt me more’n I thought it was goin’ to, and now I’m landed, I guess I’ll set a spell.  I’m ever so much obliged to you fer all your kindness, and now you’d better run along home or your grandma’ll be worried.  You’re mighty good children, and I’m glad to have that room swep’ up; it must be a weight off en Ella’s mind.”

It did not seem probable that Ella ever had a weight on her mind in the way of housekeeping cares, but at the moment she was so absorbed in her hat-trimming that she paid no attention to her mother’s remark.

It seemed hard that Molly and Midge had no one to appreciate the results of their labors, but Hoopsy Topsy was washing the dishes after the family meal, Plumpy was asleep on the floor, and Dibbs was playing out in the door-yard, with some battered old toys.

So, taking their baskets, Molly and Midge started homeward.

“I thought it would be fun to take things to poor people,” said Marjorie, with an air of disappointment; “but those people are too aggravating for anything.  They just accept what you bring and hardly thank you for it, and then they seem to want you to go home as fast as you can.”