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The three children tripped along together, taking up Freddy Jackson on the way a deaf and dumb boy, who only knew when it thundered by the jar he could feel. Everybody was kind to Freddy. Dotty Dimple, with all her faults, was never known to be impatient with the poor boy. The children reached the sea-shore, which was somewhere "near the water," though Dotty had assured Prudy to the contrary.
Dotty got up, somewhat cramped by long sitting, and was glad after all for a brisk walk in the sunshine. They didn't race, but swung along at a good pace, Dotty with her eyes still seaward. Nearly at the end of the boardwalk, on a bench, was a large and handsome French doll. It was dressed as a baby, with a long white frock, a lacy cap and a knitted pink sacque. "Oh, look at that!" cried Dotty.
"What a good little girl I am," thought she, "not to be a cryin'! Prudy'd cry! There goes the blacksmif's shop." Dotty meant the blacksmith. "His mother lets him go everywhere. Everybody's mother lets 'em go everywhere." A prettily dressed little girl passed the window. "How do you do, little girl?" whispered Dotty, in a voice so low that even the cat did not hear.
I don't go as far north to nest as Snowflake does, but I go far enough to be fairly comfortable. I don't see how some folks can stand hot weather." "It is a good thing they can," interrupted Dotty. "If everybody liked the same things it wouldn't do at all. Just suppose all the birds ate nothing but seeds. There wouldn't be seeds enough to go around, and a lot of us would starve.
"Oh, Dotty!" and "Oh, Dolly!" rang out at the same moment and the two girls stared hard at each other, for they had not seen one another's faces since that fatal moment when they came together on their roller skates. "I'm just crazy to run over there and grab you!" cried Dotty, "but I promised I wouldn't touch you, or I might break us up all over again."
"It's the air," said Mr. Rose. "Crosstrees' air is the greatest appetiser known to man. If I could bottle it and sell it, I'd make my everlasting fortune. Now, may I ask what you young ladies have on hand for this afternoon?" "Nothing particular," said Dotty. "Why?" "Because I asked a few young people from the neighbouring camps to come over here for awhile." "A party?" cried Genie.
The other little girl shakes her head, and says, 'O, sister what makes you do so? But if you do it I must. Then she pours out half her money for the beggar, but scowls all the while. Which is the 'cheerful giver?" "The first little girl. O, of course, Miss Preston." Then Dotty fell to thinking: "I don't have much to give away but just pieces of oranges; but I don't scowl when I do it.
Can't you wait till Saturday, Dotty?" "O, my suz, Prudy Parlin! When I get to be a great sister to you, I won't treat you so. I want to get my letters all smooth done to-day, don't want to wait till Sat'day." At any other time Prudy would have been gratified to see Dotty show so much eagerness. "Be kind to thy sister," hummed the gentle little teacher. "Yes, I will.
But what does it mean? Who put that piece in Tod's cap, his mother?" "No; Pauline did it! She sneaked those caps away to her room last night, and sat up till all hours piecing those pieces in. And a sweet job she must have had of it! Why, it's about as much trouble to piece a thing like that, as to make a whole cap!" "Pauline did it?" still Dotty couldn't understand.
But the question was, how to get away from Mandoline, who had her in charge like a sharp-eyed sheriff. "That's the street I turn to go to my house isn't it, Lina?" asked she, quickly. "I shan't tell you, Dotty Dimple. Why do you ask?" "'Cause I'm going home. I'm sick. Good by." "But you musn't go a step, Dotty Dimple."
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