THE SUGAR MOON 31 



bark from a birch tree and struck a match. 



Ready to gather the sap of near-by trees, the 

 two children came racing through the snow. 



^'Lemme taste the sugar water," begged the 

 little girl, all eager. 



So the boy lifted a shining pail to her rosy 

 lips— when a little maiden slipped from the 

 tree in a most surprising way, like a sunbeam 

 sliding to the ground and taking form. He 

 started, and almost dropped the pail. 



''Helloal" he cried. ''Who are you, any- 

 way?" 



''Nani," replied the stranger. 



"Nani what?" he asked. 



"Only Nani," she answered wonderingly. 



*'How funny," he said; ''why, our names 

 are Dick and Dotty May Brier." 



"Then I am Nani Niset— sugar maple girl/^ 

 she laughed, and so the three made friends. 



" 'Tis a neighbor-child," thought Farmer 

 Brier, as Nani joined the children at their 

 task. 



As the sap boiled, Farmer Brier dipped it 

 from the caldron into the kettle, and threw 



