BOBETTE.

cap, then slid down from her seat and _ slowly
descended the stairs. She crept on tiptoe across the
silent hall and into the dining-room, and stood doubt-
ful, for an instant, before the great mahogany side-
board. On it was a plate heaped high with square
chunks of gingerbread, and a silver basket of fruit;
but Bobette passed on through a parlor where the
shutters were closed and the curtains drawn. Beyond
was a sleeping room, and into this Bobette looked
from the door.

On a sofa lay a woman asleep, her long fair hair
hanging off over the cushions.to the floor. Her black
dress was very long and clung closely to her, and one
blue-veined hand was pressed on the wet handker-
chiefs bound round her head.

Bobette did not fancy the heavy aromatic odors which
filled the room, and she beat a noiseless retreat.
She was never at a loss for resources; but that they
were at times somewhat questionable, was evident
when, ten minutes later, she cautiously opened the
door of a great square room in the second story of
the tower, and peeped down through the oak railing
of the staircase ; a long skirt of brilliant rose-colored
silk rustled softly over the waxed floor, an exquisite
blue crépe shawl folded round the small shoulders was
tied in a hard knot behind and fell gracefully over
the train, and above the bright mischievous face was
an elaborate widow’s cap with long floating ends.

The way was still clear. Bobette lost no time in
escaping from the house and getting down the stone
steps to the beach as fast as her small size and the
rose-colored train would allow.

She went directly toward a small wooden house
standing quite alone, and climbed upon a ledge of
rock beside it, thus reaching the level of an open
window.

She looked in for a moment, then leaned her short
plump arms upon the sill and put her head inside.

The room was filled with rows of desks and
benches and sturdy-looking boys and girls. ‘The
teacher was standing at the blackboard on the small
raised platform. A rustle increasing to general con-
fusion made her turn in surprise.

“Why, Bobette!” she cried, her eyes sparkling
with amusement, “what in the world are you doing
there?”

Bobette was only too glad to get into conversation.
She replied politely :

“How do you do? What I’m doing is watching
Harvey. He’s making the rudder for our ship.”

217

This raised a shout of laughter, and all eyes turned
toward a fine-looking boy whose seat was directly in
front of Bobette.

“Well, Bobette,” the teacher said kindly, “you
see you are disturbing us now; we are not accus-
tomed to such gay little visitors. Get down and run
away.”

“But I must speak to Harvey! Ican’t go away till
I do that,” said Bobette.

“ Harvey, you may go to the door for two minutes
to see what Bobette wants,” said the teacher dis-
creetly.

When Harvey appeared outside, he gave a low
whistle of surprise; but Bobette welcomed him rapt-
urously. ‘ Harvey!” she cried enthusiastically,
“when are we going to sail that ship? Now?”

“This is schooltime, Bobette !”

“But let’s go now, Harvey —they couldn’t catch us,
and I’m lonely to-day. I couldn’t stay at home,
though I thought about what you said. I did try to
be good. But I should die if I tried any more, and
what would you do then,
Harvey? Wouldn’t you
be sorry you said I
phase a MATE

The boy was four
years older than Bob-
ette; he smiled a little,
then unclapsed her
hands which were tight-
ly holding his.

*“Poor Bobette!
We'll go to the pond and
sail our boat to-night.
Where’ll you be? Are
you going home now?”
asked the boy.

“Oh, no!” the child
said decidedly; “no-
body knows where I am!
Mamma was asleep, and
Betsey up in her room,
and Anthony was out.”

When Bobette was left
alone she wandered on,
her head turned to watch
her sweeping skirts. She was passing the littie
weather-beaten stone church when she ran against
the rector, and both stopped in bewilderment.

Mr. Abert was a quiet, scholarly little man, with a

=| be
[7 HE
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THE WAY WAS CLEAR,