JANET. 55

_ “No, for you,” answered her father.

Janet. looked up without understanding any tte, and
then began to untie the string. As the book revealed itself,
and she saw what it was, she flung herself, with a cry of delight,
into her father’s arms and gave him a good hug.

“Oh, you dear man!” she said. “How did you know?
Now I shall not mind Nettie’s having it ” Then she
stopped short, for she had not meant to tell of her being so near
to the prize and yet losing it by her faithful day at home.

“ Mind what?” asked her mother.

“Oh, nothing. Never mind,” she replied, hurriedly. “Do
look, mother! Isn’t it lovely? You dear book, how I do love
you!’ .

It was not till the prize was given at Christmas that her
father and mother understood the extent of her faithfulness.
When a copy of “Little Women” was handed to Nettie
Graves they knew why she had won it, and Mr. Boyd, leaning
over, said to Janet in a whisper, “ You came first, after all,
daughter, didn’t you? for you had your prize two weeks ago.”

Janet nodded and gave his hand a little pat, showing that
she understood. She is called “Little Mother” so much of
the time by her father, that she declares they will have to find
some other name for the real mother, and Mr. Boyd often says,
mysteriously, that he found he had a prize, too, about the time
Janet received hers.