Why, I live here, this is my father's house!" said Janet, "and I came through your door away at the end of the hall."

"There, now!" exclaimed Claribel. "Prim must have forgotten to lock it before he went to bed. Mamma said he would forget some time, but he has invented a new kind of lock, and nobody but himself knows how to turn the key, so papa trusted him."

"Do you ever go out by that door?" asked Janet, wondering how it could be that she had never seen these pretty children before.

"Oh! no, indeed!" replied Claribel. "We are not allowed. There is only an old lumber-room there. Even papa and mamma never pass that door, and they keep it locked."

"We have plenty of doors besides that," remarked Rosabel, contentedly.

66

'Well, of all things!" exclaimed Janet.

"Our

folks don't know you are living here at all! I wish Prue were here—she is my sister. What a pretty bed you have, and what a nice room this is! many of you are there?"

How

"Why, we two, of course, and papa and mamma, little boy Ray, Aunt Pen, and our big brother Prim."

"What a nice number!" said Janet.

wish Prue were here!"

"Go and call her," replied Rosabel.

"How I do

"But first come out into the far room with me and get cream-cakes," said Claribel, taking Janet's hand in hers and leading her away.

66

Bring me some cream-cakes, too!" were the words Rosabel sent after them, as she nestled down by the fire again.

66

'Step softly, so as not to wake anybody," whispered the little girl in the night-gown, as she took Janet through four rooms in succession. In each room stood a bed, and in every bed there was someone sleeping. Janet felt utterly bewildered. The rooms were all partially lighted, and the furniture, though very comfortable looking, was well worn, as if it had been in use for years.

"And there are things here that never could have come up our narrow stairs!" thought Janet.

At last they reached the farthest room, where there was a stove, and closets, and a white cat asleep in a chair. Claribel found a jar from which she helped herself liberally to cakes, filling Janet's hands as well as her own. The cakes were odd, but good, Janet decided, as she tasted one. There was certainly cream in them, and they seemed to melt

in the mouth. There were two covered baskets standing on the table.

"Those are for the picnic we are going to have next moonlight," said Claribel; and just then her foot hit the tongs, so that they fell with a ringing noise on the floor.

"What's that?" called a quick, clear voice from the next room.

'Only me, Aunt Pen! I'm out here getting cream-cakes, and there's a new little girl with me that's come to call."

66

All right," said Aunt Pen; "keep quiet, and don't touch the raisins. You can invite the girl to

the picnic."

"What's that?" asked a voice from the room beyond.

"Oh! only Claribel, with a little girl visitor, getting cream-cakes," answered Aunt Pen.

"What did she say, Prim?" asked a sweet, sleepy little voice.

"Claribel is eating cream-cakes and has company. Go right back to sleep, Ray!"

"Why, we have waked everybody up!" whispered Janet, in dismay.

66

Never mind. They'll go to sleep again," said Claribel. "And I'm glad Aunt Pen did wake up,

because now you can come to our picnic, you and your sister Prue."

"Well, we will," said Janet.

The two children then softly made their way back through the row of sleeping-rooms, and found Rosabel nodding by the fire.

"I'm getting sleepy myself," said Claribel, "but I'll go through the hall with you, and you must be sure to come early next moonlight to the picnic."

Janet turned a little reluctantly from the pleasant room, making her way into the hall and back to the door by which she had entered. As soon as she passed through, it closed behind her, with a soft good-by from Claribel.

J

XVII

-Lowell's Letters.

"Who felt the quaint light subtly shining in?
Who heard that other wind within the wind?"

-Mrs. Piatt.

ANET lost no time in telling the story of her

great discovery to Prue. They debated with

much interest the question where all those rooms could be, and in what business the father of the children was engaged

The rain had now ceased falling, and the girls were able to go out of doors in the afternoon to work in their flower-beds. Their pansies needed weeding, and their pink-roots were ready to be divided. As they worked they cast many a glance up at the sloping roof over the pantry, and at the window whose blinds were never opened.