"Then I'm certain you and Bessie are benefactors," said Belle, pronouncing the long word slowly, as if she were not quite sure of it.
"We try to be," answered Maggie, demurely.
"I'm sure you are too, Belle," said Bessie.
"Yes: she just is," said Mabel. "But I s'pose you don't think I am one."
"Um—well—not quite," said Bessie, not wishing to hurt Mabel's feelings, but too truthful to say what she did not think; "but we have great hopes of you, Mabel. We think it was pretty benefacting of you to let Baby Annie have your new doll in her own hands. It must have been pretty hard work."
"Yes," said Maggie: "we didn't expect it of you, Mabel; and we're very agreeably disappointed in you."
Praise from her playmates was something quite new and very pleasant to Mabel, and she began to feel pretty well pleased with herself.
"Yes," she said, with an air of superior virtue, "I b'lieve I'm growing pretty good now."
"You oughtn't to say that," said Bessie: "you ought to say, 'Perhaps I am a little better than I used to be, but I hope I'll be better yet.'"
"Why?" asked Mabel, feeling that she was not properly appreciated in her new character.