There had been company at the brickhouse to the bountiful Thanksgivingdinner which had been provided at oneo'clock,--the Burnham sisters, who lived betweenNorth Riverboro and Shaker Village, and who formore than a quarter of a century had come to passthe holiday with the Sawyers every year. Rebeccasat silent with a book after the dinner dishes werewashed, and when it was nearly five asked if shemight go to the Simpsons'.

　　"What do you want to run after those Simpsonchildren for on a Thanksgiving Day?" queried MissMiranda. "Can't you set still for once and listento the improvin' conversation of your elders? Younever can let well enough alone, but want to be foreveron the move.""The Simpsons have a new lamp, and EmmaJane and I promised to go up and see it lighted,and make it a kind of a party.""What under the canopy did they want of alamp, and where did they get the money to pay forit? If Abner was at home, I should think he'd beenswappin' again," said Miss Miranda.

　　"The children got it as a prize for selling soap,"replied Rebecca; "they've been working for a year,and you know I told you that Emma Jane and Ihelped them the Saturday afternoon you were inPortland.""I didn't take notice, I s'pose, for it's the firsttime I ever heard the lamp mentioned. Well, youcan go for an hour, and no more. Remember it'sas dark at six as it is at midnight Would you liketo take along some Baldwin apples? What haveyou got in the pocket of that new dress that makesit sag down so?""It's my nuts and raisins from dinner," repliedRebecca, who never succeeded in keeping the mostinnocent action a secret from her aunt Miranda;"they're just what you gave me on my plate.""Why didn't you eat them?""Because I'd had enough dinner, and I thoughtif I saved these, it would make the Simpsons'

　　party better," stammered Rebecca, who hated tobe scolded and examined before company.

　　"They were your own, Rebecca," interposedaunt Jane, "and if you chose to save them to giveaway, it is all right. We ought never to let this daypass without giving our neighbors something to bethankful for, instead of taking all the time to thinkof our own mercies."The Burnham sisters nodded approvingly asRebecca went out, and remarked that they had neverseen a child grow and improve so fast in so short atime.

　　"There's plenty of room left for more improvement,as you'd know if she lived in the same housewith you," answered Miranda. "She's into everynamable thing in the neighborhood, an' not onlyinto it, but generally at the head an' front of it,especially when it's mischief. Of all the foolishnessI ever heard of, that lamp beats everything; it'sjust like those Simpsons, but I didn't suppose thechildren had brains enough to sell anything.""One of them must have," said Miss EllenBurnham, "for the girl that was selling soap at theLadds' in North Riverboro was described by AdamLadd as the most remarkable and winning child heever saw.""It must have been Clara Belle, and I shouldnever call her remarkable," answered Miss Miranda.

　　"Has Adam been home again?""Yes, he's been staying a few days with his aunt.

　　There's no limit to the money he's making, theysay; and he always brings presents for all theneighbors. This time it was a full set of furs forMrs. Ladd; and to think we can remember thetime he was a barefoot boy without two shirts to hisback! It is strange he hasn't married, with all hismoney, and him so fond of children that he alwayshas a pack of them at his heels.""There's hope for him still, though," said MissJane smilingly; "for I don't s'pose he's more thanthirty.""He could get a wife in Riverboro if he was ahundred and thirty," remarked Miss Miranda.

　　"Adam's aunt says he was so taken with the littlegirl that sold the soap (Clara Belle, did you say hername was?), that he declared he was going to bringher a Christmas present," continued Miss Ellen.

　　"Well, there's no accountin' for tastes," exclaimedMiss Miranda. "Clara Belle's got cross-eyes andred hair, but I'd be the last one to grudge her aChristmas present; the more Adam Ladd gives toher the less the town'll have to.""Isn't there another Simpson girl?" asked MissLydia Burnham; "for this one couldn't have beencross-eyed; I remember Mrs. Ladd saying Adamremarked about this child's handsome eyes. He saidit was her eyes that made him buy the three hundredcakes. Mrs. Ladd has it stacked up in the shedchamber.""Three hundred cakes!" ejaculated Miranda.

　　"Well, there's one crop that never fails in Riverboro!""What's that?" asked Miss Lydia politely.

　　"The fool crop," responded Miranda tersely, andchanged the subject, much to Jane's gratitude, forshe had been nervous and ill at ease for the last fifteenminutes. What child in Riverboro could bedescribed as remarkable and winning, save Rebecca?

　　What child had wonderful eyes, except the sameRebecca? and finally, was there ever a child in theworld who could make a man buy soap by the hundredcakes, save Rebecca?

　　Meantime the "remarkable" child had flown upthe road in the deepening dusk, but she had notgone far before she heard the sound of hurryingfootsteps, and saw a well-known figure coming inher direction. In a moment she and Emma Janemet and exchanged a breathless embrace.

　　"Something awful has happened," panted EmmaJane.

　　"Don't tell me it's broken," exclaimed Rebecca.

　　"No! oh, no! not that! It was packed in straw,and every piece came out all right; and I was there,and I never said a single thing about your sellingthe three hundred cakes that got the lamp, so thatwe could be together when you told.""OUR selling the three hundred cakes," correctedRebecca; "you did as much as I.""No, I didn't, Rebecca Randall. I just sat at thegate and held the horse.""Yes, but WHOSE horse was it that took us toNorth Riverboro? And besides, it just happenedto be my turn. If you had gone in and found Mr.

　　Aladdin you would have had the wonderful lampgi............