“It is sooner than usual, but he seemed so sleepy and was so fretful, I thought I would just give him his dinner early, and put him to sleep before our lunch.”
“Maybe he will lie on the bed with me, and go to sleep that way, as he did the other day,” suggested Marty, who was always very ready to make amends for any mischief she had caused. “Wont Freddie come and lie down beside sister?”
“No, no, no!” said Freddie, shaking his curly head and pushing Marty away with his foot.
“I'll tell you a pretty story,” said Marty coaxingly.
“No, no,” said the little boy.
“Pretty story about the three bears.”
At this mention of his favorite story Freddie began to relent, and presently stretched out his arms to Marty. Mrs. Ashford put him on the bed, and he cuddled up to Marty while she told him the thrilling story of the Great Huge Bear, the Middle-sized Bear, and the Little Small Wee Bear; but long before she came to the place where little Silver Hair was found, Freddie was fast asleep.
“What were you going to ask me, Marty?” inquired her mamma, when they were seated at lunch.
“Oh, yes!” said Marty, in her excitement laying down her fork and twisting her napkin. “I was going to ask you if I might have a box to put tenths in, and if I mayn't belong to the mission-band.”
“I thought you didn't want to belong to the band.”