“That’s so,” agreed Molly; “but I don’t care whether they like it or not.  I think we ought to try to do them good.  I don’t mean only to take them things to eat, but try to make them more—­more—­”

“Respectable,” suggested Marjorie.  “But I suppose that Ella thinks she’s more respectable than we are this minute.”

“I s’pose she does; but we oughtn’t to be discouraged by such things.  I think mother’ll give me some of my last year’s dresses to give her, and then she won’t have to wear that funny-looking rig she had on.”

“She likes that,” said Marjorie.  “I don’t believe she’d wear your dresses if you took them to her.”

By this time the girls had reached the Sherwood house, and Grandma invited Molly to stay to dinner, which invitation the little girl gladly accepted.

At the dinner-table they told Grandma the whole story of the morning.

Mrs. Sherwood was greatly amused at their description of the Dunn family, and greatly surprised to learn of their efforts in the house-cleaning line.

“I want you to be charitable,” she said, “and generously inclined toward the poor and needy.  But I don’t want you to adopt such unusual methods of dispensing your charity.  After this, when you feel inclined to such energetic measures, come home first and ask permission.  Then, if the plan seems to me feasible, you can carry it out.”

“But, Grandma,” said Marjorie, “the Dunns really need help.  They can’t seem to do anything and they haven’t anything to do with.”

“But you’re too young, my child, to know what they do need.  You must be content to help them under the direction of some one older than yourself.  Mrs. Dunn, I fear, is not a thrifty or hard-working woman.  She has not been here long, and I know little about her; but I’ve been told that she quite spoils that oldest child and makes the second one do all the work.”

“The second one is named Hoopsy Topsy,” said Marjorie, laughing; “and she’s like her name.  She’s always tumbling down and racing about, with her dress torn and her hair in her eyes, like a perfect witch.  The Elegant Ella is quite different.  Truly, Grandma, they’re a funny lot, and if you go there this afternoon, mayn’t we go with you?”

“No,” said Mrs. Sherwood, “I shall go by myself, to-day, and investigate the case.  Perhaps some other time I may take you children.”

The girls were disappointed, but when they found they couldn’t go, they went out to Marjorie’s porch to talk it all over.

“I think,” said Marjorie, “it’s our duty to do something for those children.  Just think, Molly, we have everything we want, and they have nothing.”

“I’ll tell you what, Mopsy:  let’s sew and make things for them; dresses, you know, and aprons.”

“I can’t sew fit to be seen, Molly; and ’twould take me all summer to get one apron made.  I’d rather give them things that we have.  Why, I’d rather give Ella my best parasol than to try to sew anything for her!”