The Corner House Girls on a Houseboat

to go about it to organize the kind of society Ruth had in mind. In spite of her half refusal to attend the session, Agnes had decid

manded Agnes. "We haven't an elevator on

" declared the old colored man. "Sammy he d

"If Sammy has anything to

takably coming from Tess and Dot, and, mingled with the

! Oh, the wee ones!" and then she lapsed into her

have happened!

and the two sisters hurried out, br

ng?" asked Lucy Pool

help," added

of the ordinary has happened, from what I know of the family," he said with a smile. "I'll go and see, and if an

murmured Clo Baker. "I never coul

st their voices, at any rat

h from the room, there was borne to the

ou hear, Sammy Pin

dly that of the Sammy

I can't get you down! It'

mischief,"

," said Clo. "I hope he hasn't butted

basket, which was attached to a rope that ran over the high limb of a great oak tree in the back yard, Tess and Dot. They wer

arge goat, now contentedly chewing grass, and near the animal, with a startled look on h

while Mrs. MacCall stood beneath them holding out her apro

ce paling as she saw the danger of her little sis

Dot and Tess in a cho

them holding

ored us up,"

!" replied the small bo

f which there was an ample suppl

l we do?"

emed to calm the excitement of every one. "Bring the blanket here. We will hold it beneath the basket like a fire net, though I

sket could not descend suddenly. Even if the rope should be unexpectedly loosened, there would still be the weight of the attached

ned the lawyer. "We'll take hold and extend th

possit it ye twa gang an' reesk their lives this way, ye tapetless one?" she cr

de in an elevator, an' I

sket, getting it unobserved when Mrs. MacCall and Linda were busy over Ruth's party. He had fastened the basket to a long rope, which had been thrown over the

pull was transformed, by virtue of the pulley, into an upward motion, and t

on the rope. All had gone well for several trips until the rope jammed in the pulley, thus leaving the two girls suspended in the baske

ng to the scene with a large woolen squa

ble for them to remain in the library with their minds on

" cried one of the n

mean?" burst

hird. She was a lighthearted girl and had not tak

nervous lady. "Oh, dear, why did they l

id another lady. "Our Tommy is just like that-

will," he told the Scotch housekeeper, and not until then did she lower her apron and move out from under the swaying basket, murmuring as she did so something about Sammy being a "t

irected by Mr. Howbridge. Then, seeing there would be little danger to the children in case

f I do," obj

Mrs. MacCall. "An' if ever ye f

a sufficiently severe puni

to which it was fastened. Mr. Howbridge then took a firm hold of the cable and, after loosening it from where it had jammed in the pul

mmy Pinkney!" cried Tess, climbing out of t

t, smoothing out the rumpl

ake some fun and I did,"

uth. "You had better come into the house now, childre

ut they asked me to elev

ar witness," said Mr

her thanks to providence over the escape, and, after a whil

itself with is the adventure on a houseboat of the Corner House girls. Meanwhile about a week went by. There had been no more el

upper appetites of Dot and Tess had been appeased, the

He's come!"

oh, such a dand

has he?" asked Agnes,

is a 'dandy,'" corrected R

ld me always to tell th

beautifulest automobile!" cried Tess. "It's all shiny an' it

nterested in this news

murmured, as though there h

w auto," added Agnes.

ardian at the door, while the smaller child

while Ruth, remembering her posi

you c

iss Ruth," the man responded. "It is j

a car as that!" excl

monishing glance from Agnes to the smal

car!" went on Ag

st me," her guardian answered with a laugh. "But I am suppo

came in a chorus

hool was out. They may come, may they not, Miss Ruth?" he asked. Always

w-voiced answer. "But we plan

time," the lawyer said, with a laugh. "And afte

rful!" mur

tay to tea?"

w then, youngsters, run out and hop in, but don't touch anything, or you may

Tess and Dot, runn

uth. It was a standing order-that, and the

around it, and breathing in, with the odor of gaso

started back toward the house. "We're going for a ride in it, and do

m, who had come on an errand to her grandfather, Uncl

eded Tess, proudly, air

le Ruth was beside Mr. Howbridge at the steering wheel. Then the big car pu

Ruth, when they were bowling along. "Almost the chr

"I wanted it properly christened, you see. There is a met

fully, with the thought in mind that

Minerva," with its suggestion of wisdom. And

n object?"

d. "As usual, I w

y worth anything to

" he went on with a smile. "I want