"If you love me as I love you,
No knife shall cut our love in two."
"Well, I do," replied Dotty, with an affectionate hug, "and I sha'n't go near the water."
"You won't forget?" said Prudy, anxiously. "You know mamma's as afraid of the water as she can be."
"What are you after?" cried Angeline, half a minute afterwards. "Of all the rummaging children!" At the same time she gave Dotty a nice cake warm from the oven.
"I'm looking for my hat," said the little girl, shutting the sink door. "Last time I saw it 'twas in a barrel somewhere."
But it happened to be in a hogshead.
"I think this is a real nice sort of world," thought Dotty, as she and Johnny trudged off in the pleasant sunshine. "I do think, just to myself—though I wouldn't say it out loud—that I'm as nice as anybody. I don't know what Prudy'd do 'thout me; and I guess Susy'd cry her eyes out!"
"What you thinking about?" said Johnny.
"O, 'bout a good many things! Let's run; it tires me to pieces to walk!"
"Look!" cried Johnny, "there's Mandoline!"