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“ThenwillyoukeepthesecretuntilIhavetimetotry——sayuntilthistimenextyear？“
“I’llkeepitjustaslongasLaddiewantsmeto。“
“Good！“saidthePrincess。“NowonderLaddiethinksyouthefinestLittleSisteranyoneeverhad。“
“DoesLaddiethinkthat？“Iasked“Hedoesindeed！“saidthePrincess。
“ThenI’mnotafraidtogohome，“Isaid。“AndI’llbringhisletterthenexttimehecan’tcome。“
“Wereyouscaredthistime？“
ItoldheraboutthatSomethinginthedrybed，thewolves，wildcats，PaddyRyan，andtheGypsies。
“Youlittlegoosie，“saidthePrincess。“IamafraidthatbrotherLeonofyoursisthebiggestroguelooseinthispartofthecountry。Didn’titeveroccurtoyouthatpeoplenamedWolfeliveoverthere，andtheycallthatcrowdnextus`wildcats，’
becausetheyjustwentonsomelandandtookit，andbeganlivingtherewithoutanymorepermissionthanrealwildcatsasktoenterthewoods？DoyousupposeIwouldbehere，andeverywhereelseI
wanttogo，iftherewereanydanger？Didanythingreallyharmyoucoming？“
“You’reharmedwhenyou’rescareduntilyoucan’tbreathe，“I
said。“Anyway，nothingcouldgetmecoming，becauseIheldthelettertightinmyhand，likeLaddiesaid。Ifyou’dwritemeonetotakeback，I’dbesafegoinghome。“
“Isee，“saidthePrincess。“ButI’venopencil，andnopaper，unlessIusethebackofoneofLaddie’sletters，andthatwouldn’tbepolite。“
“Youcanmakenewfashions，“Isaid，“butyoudon’tknowmuchaboutthewoods，doyou？IcouldfixfiftywaystosendamessagetoLaddie。“
“Howwouldyou？“askedthePrincess。
RunningtothepawpawbushesIpulledsomebigtenderleaves。
ThenItookthebarkfromtheboxandlaidaleafonit。
“Presswithoneofyourrings，“Isaid，“andprintwhatyouwanttosay。IwritetotheFairieseverydaythatway，onlyIuseanoldknifehandle。“
Shetried。Shespoiledtwoorthreebybearingdownsohardshecuttheleaves。Shedidn’tevenknowenoughtowriteonthefrostyside，untilshewastold。Butprettysoonshegotalongsowellsheprintedallovertwobigones。ThenItookastickandpunchedlittleholesandstuckapieceoffoxfirebloomthrough。
“Whatmakesyoudothat？“sheasked。
“That’sthestamp，“Iexplained。
“Butit’smyletter，andIdidn’tputitthere。“
“HastobethereortheFairieswon’tlikeit，“Isaid。
“Wellthen，letitgo，“saidthePrincess。
Iputbackthebarkandreplacedthestone，gatheredupthescatteredleaves，andputthetwowithwritingonbetweenfreshones。
“NowImustrun，“Isaid，“orLaddiewillthinktheGypsieshavegotmesure。“
“I’llgowithyoupastthedrycreek，“sheoffered。
“Youbetternot，“Isaid。“I’dlovetohaveyou，butitwouldbebestforyoutochangetheiropinion，beforefatherormotherseesyouontheirland。“
“Perhapsitwould，“saidthePrincess。“I’llwaithereuntilyoureachthefenceandthenyoucallandI’llknowyouareintheopenandfeelcomfortable。“
“Iammostalloverbeingafraidnow，“Itoldher。
Justtoshowher，Iwalkedtothecreek，climbedthegateandwentdownthelane。AlmosttotheroadIbeganwonderingwhatI
coulddowiththeletter，whenlookingaheadIsawLaddiecoming。
“Iwasjuststartingtofindyou。You’vebeenanage，child，“hesaid。
Ihelduptheletter。
“Nooneislooking，“Isaid，“andthiswon’tgoinyourpocket。“
Youshouldhaveseenhisface。
“Wheredidyougetit？“heasked。
Itoldhimallaboutit。Itoldhimeverything——aboutthehairthatmaybewasstrongerthanshethought，andthatshewasgoingtochangefather’sandmother’sopinions，andthatIputtheredfloweron，butsheleftit；andwhenIwasdoneLaddiealmosthuggedthelifeoutofme。Ineverdidseehimsohappy。
“Ifyoubevery，verycarefulnevertobreatheawhisper，I’lltakeyouwithmesomeday，“hepromised。
CHAPTERII
OurAngelBoy“Ihadabrotheronce——agraciousboy，Fullofallgentleness，ofcalmesthope，Ofsweetandquietjoy，——therewasthelookOfheavenuponhisface。“
Itwassuppertimewhenwereachedhome，andBobbywasatthefrontgatetomeetme。Healwayshuntedmeallovertheplacewhenthebigbellintheyardrangatmealtime，becauseifhecrowednicelywhenhewastold，hewasallowedtostandonthebackofmychairandeverylittlewhileIheldupmyplateandsharedbiteswithhim。Ihaveseenmanywhitebantams，butneveranotherlikeBobby。MybigbrothersboughthimformeinFortWayne，andsenthiminabox，aloneonthecars。FatherandI
drovetoGrovevilletomeethim。Theminutefatherpriedoffthelid，Bobbyhoppedontheedgeoftheboxandcrowed——thebiggestcrowyoueverheardfromsuchamiteofabody；hewasn’tintheleastafraidofusandwewerepleasedaboutit。Youscarcelycouldseehisbeadyblackeyesforhisbushytopknot，hiswingtipstouchedtheground，histailhadtwobeautifulplumyfeathersmuchlongerthantheothers，hisfeetwerecoveredwithfeathers，andhiskneetuftsdragged。Hewasthesauciest，spunkiestlittlefellow，andwhiteasmuslin。Wewenttosuppertogether，butnooneaskedwhereIhadbeen，andbecauseIwassoburstingfullofimportance，ItalkedonlytoBobby，inordertobesafe。
AftersupperIfinishedHezekiah’strousers，andMaycuthiscoatforme。SchoolwouldbegininSeptemberandourclotheswerebeingmade，soIusedthescrapstodresshim。Hissuitwasdonebythenextforenoon，andfatherneverlaughedharderthanwhenHezekiahhoppeddownthewalktomeethimdressedinpinktrousersandcoat。ThecoathadflowingsleeveslikethePrincesswore，soHezekiahcouldfly，andheseemedtolikethem。
HissuitwassuchasuccessIbeganasunbonnet，andwhenthatwastiedonhim，thefolksalmosthadspasms。Theysaidhewouldn’tlikebeingdressed；thathewouldflyawaytopunishme，buthedidnosuchthing。Hestayedaroundthehouseandwastameasever。
WhenIbecametiredsewingthatafternoon，Iwentdownthelaneleadingtoourmeadow，whereLeonwaskillingthistleswithagrubbinghoe。Ithoughthewouldbegladtoseeme，andhewas。
Everyonehadbeenbusyinthehouse，soIwenttothecellartheoutsidewayandateallIwantedfromthecupboard。ThenI
spreadtwobigslicesofbreadthebestIcouldwithmyfingers，puttingapplebutteronone，andmashedpotatoesontheother。
Leonleanedonthehoeandwatchedmecoming。Hewasahungryboy，andlonesometoo，buthecouldn’tbeforcedtosayso。
“Laddieisatworkinthebarn，“hesaid。
“I’mgoingtoplayinthecreek，“Ianswered。
Crossingourmeadowtherewasastreamthathadgrassybanks，bigtrees，willows，bushesandvinesforshade，asolidpebblybed；
itwasallturnsandbendssothatthewaterhurrieduntilitbubbledandsangasitwent；initlivedtinyfishcolouredbrightlyasflowers，besideitrankilldeer，ploverandsolemnblueheronsalmostastallasIwascamefromtherivertofish；
foraplacetoplayonanAugustafternoon，itcouldn’tbebeaten。Thesheephadbeenputinthelowerpasture；sothecrossoldShropshireramwasnottheretobotherus。
“Cometotheshade，“IsaidtoLeon，andwhenwewerecomfortablyseatedunderabigmapleweighteddownwithtrailinggrapevines，Iofferedthebread。Leontookapieceineachhandandbegantoeatasifhewerestarving。Laddiewouldhavekissedmeandsaid：“Whatafinetreat！Thankyou，LittleSister。“
Leonwasdifferent。Heatesogreedilyyouhadtoknowhewasgladtogetit，buthewouldn’tsayso，notifhenevergotanymore。Whenyouknewhim，youunderstoodhewouldn’tforgetit，andhe’dbecertaintodosomethingniceforyoubeforethedaywasovertopayback。Wesattheretalkingabouteverythingwesaw，andatlastLeonsaidwithagrin：“Shelleyisn’tgettingmuchgrapesapisshe？“
“Ididn’tknowshewantedgrapesap。“
“Shereadaboutitinapaper。Itsaidtocutthevineofawildgrape，catchthedrippingsandmoistenyourhair。Thiswouldmakeitglossyandgrowfaster。“
“WhatonearthdoesShelleywantwithmorehairthanshehas？“
“Oh，shehashearditbraggedonsomuchshethinkspeoplewouldsaymoreifshecouldimproveit。“
Ilookedandtherewasthevine，dryascouldbe，andamilkcrockbeneathit。
“Didn’tthesillyknowshehadtocutthevineinthespringwhenthesapwasrunning？“
“Bearwitness，Ovine！thatshedidnot，“saidLeon，“andspeak，yevoicelesspottery，andtestifythatsheexpectedtofindyouoverflowing。“
“Toobadthatshe’sgoingtobedisappointed。“
“Sheisn’t！She’sgoingtofindampleliquidtobatheherstreamingtresses。Keepquietandwatchme。“
Hepickedupthecrock，carriedittothecreekanddippeditfullofwater。
“That’stoomuch，“Iobjected。“She’llknowshenevergotacrockfullfromadryvine。“
“She’llthinkthevinebleditselfdryforhersake。“
“Sheisn’tthatsilly。“
“Wellthen，howsillyisshe？“askedLeon，spillingouthalf。
“Aboutso？“
“Notsobadasthat。Lessyet！“
“Anythingtopleasetheladies，“saidLeon，pouringoutmore。
Thenwesatandgiggledawhile。
“Whatareyougoingtodonow？“askedLeon。
“Playinthecreek，“Ianswered。
“Allright！I’llworknearyou。“
Herolledhistrousersabovehiskneesandtookthehoe，buthewasinthewatermostofthetime。Wehadtoclimbonthebankwhenwecametothedeepcurve，underthestumpoftheoldoakthatfathercutbecausePeteBillingswouldclimbitandyowllikeawildcatoncoldwinternights。PetewaswronginhisheadlikePaddyRyan，onlyworse。Aswepassedweheardthefaintestsounds，sowelayandlooked，andthereinthedarkplaceundertheroots，wherethewaterwasdeepest，huddledsomeofthecunningestlittledownywildducksyoueversaw。Welookedateachotherandneversaidaword。Leonchasedthemoutwiththehoeandtheyswamdownstreamfasterthanoldones。Istoodintheshallowwaterbehindthemandkeptthemfromgoingbacktothedeepplace，whileLeonworkedtocatchthem。Everytimehegotonehebroughtittome，andImadeabagofmyapronfronttoputthemin。Thesupperbellrangbeforewecaughtallofthem。Weweredrippingwetwithcreekwaterandperspiration，butwehadtheducks，everyoneofthem，andproudlystartedhome。I’llwagerLeonwassorryhedidn’twearapronssohecouldcarrythem。Hedidkeepthelastoneinhishands，andhelditslittlefluffybodyagainsthischeekseveryfewminutes。
“Couldn’tanythingbeprettierthanayoungduck。“
“Exceptalittleguinea，“Isaid。
“That’sso！“saidLeon。“Theyaremostasprettyasquail。I
guessallyoungthingsthathavedownareaboutascunningastheycanbe。Idon’tbelieveIknowwhichIlikebest，myself。“
“Babykilldeers。“
“Imeantame。Thingsweraise。“
“I’lltakeguineas。“
“I’llsaywhiteturkeys。Theyseemsoinnocent。Nothingofoursisprettyasthese。“
“Butthesearewild。“
“Sotheyare，“saidLeon。“Twelveofthem。Won’tmotherbepleased？“
Shewasnotintheleast。Shesaidwewereasighttobehold；
thatshewasashamedtobethemotheroftwochildrenwhodidn’tknowtameducksfromwildones。SherememberedinstantlythatAmandaDeamhadsetaspeckledDorkinghenonMallardduckeggs，whereshegottheeggs，andwhatshepaidforthem。ShesaidtheduckshadfoundthecreekthatflowedbesideDeams’
barnyardbeforeitenteredourland，andtheyhadswumawayfromthehen，andboththehenandAmandawouldbefrantic。Sheputtheducksintoabasketandsaidtotakethembacksoonaseverwegotoursuppers，andwemusthurrybecausewehadtobatheandlearnourtextsforSunday-schoolinthemorning。
Wewentthroughtheorchard，downthehillandacrossthemeadowuntilwecametothecreek。Bythattimeweweretiredofthebasket。Itwasonefatherhadwovenhimselfofshavedandsoakedhickorystrips，anditwasheavy。Thesightofwatersuggestedtheproperplaceforducks，anyway。Wetalkeditoveranddecidedthattheywouldbemuchmorecomfortableswimmingthaninthebasket，anditwasmorefuntowadethantowalk，sowewentabovethedeepplace，Istoodinthecreektokeepthemfromgoingdown，andLeonpouredthemonthewater。Pigscouldn’thaveactedmorecontrary。ThoseducksLIKEDus。Theywouldn’tgotoDeams’。Theyjustfoughttoswimbacktous。Anyway，wehadtheworsttimeyoueversaw。Leoncutlongswitchestoherdthemwith，andbothofuswadedandtriedtodrivethem，buttheywoulddartunderembankmentsandroots，anddiveandhide。
