She started after awhile, and unluckily had the groceryman tie the eggs on the wheel.  She came along safely, until within view of Beth lying comfortably in the hammock; then with a desire to show off, she spurted, or tried to, and her wheel ran off the walk, and tipped her off upon the grass on top of two dozen eggs!

Her mother picked her up, and after stilling Beth’s laughter, and her crying, washed her, and put her in the hammock, all in so short a time that only a yellow stain on the grass showed that a tragedy had happened.

Then mother went back to her jam.

Beth snickered at intervals, however, though Ethelwyn sternly bade her be quiet.

“You were so yellow and funny, sister,” said Beth, giggling.

Ethelwyn opened her mouth for a reply that would do justice to the subject, when Bobby, their next door neighbor came along.  “Hullo, Bobby,” they cried.

“Hullo,” said Bobby at once.

“Come in and see our birthday presents,” said Ethelwyn, and Bobby at once trotted up the walk.

He was a round-faced little chap, with small freckles on his button of a nose.

His family had just moved into town from a farm.

“Where have you been, Bobby?” asked Ethelwyn as they went towards the house.

“I went down to the grocery for mother; I thought I knew the way but I got mixed up, and stopped under a lamp-post, to think.  Pretty soon a woman came along and put a white letter in a box; so I thought I’d save trouble if I put mother’s grocery list in, and I did.  A man in gray clothes came along, and unlocked it, and took the letters all out.  I told him ’bout my list, and he laughed, and gave it to me, and asked me if I didn’t know ’bout letter boxes?  I didn’t, so he told me, and took me along with him down town.”

“Sister—­” began Beth, giggling, “went to the grocery—­”

“Let’s play in the house,” said Ethelwyn frowning at Beth.  “You can stay awhile, can’t you, Bobby?”

“I guess I’d better ask, first,” said Bobby.  He trotted home and soon came back with his face shining from soap and water, and his hair brushed straight up so that it looked like a halo around the full moon.

Then Nan, the minister’s daughter, came in.  She had also come to live in their town and was the same funny, outspoken Nan, as always.

“It’s a very convenient thing that I know you children,” she had said, “for it’s a great trouble to have to find out, and learn to know everybody in a town.”

They were playing games in the nursery, when mother came up-stairs, having finished the jam, ordered the groceries, and paid Mrs. O’Neal.

She was going to combine resting and mending, as usual, so she came to the nursery, just as they were beginning a temperance lecture.

Bobby was selling tickets, and mother cheerfully paid a penny, and sat in her low rocker near the window.

Nan had chosen to be lecturer, so Ethelwyn, Beth, and Bobby made a somewhat reluctant and highly critical audience.  Besides, there were the dolls in various uncomfortable attitudes, but very amiable nevertheless.