148 THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN. 



" Why don't we have a small earthquake?" moaned 

 Johnny. 



Kate stirred not, and her father then and there deliber- 

 ately kissed her pretty lips. 



' ' You are a darling, Kate. I believe what you say. 

 Any man ought to be happy in such children." 



" Then you don't blame us at all ? " 



" No, Kate. I am too much pleased to be anything but 

 thankful and happy." 



"Hooray!" cried Johnny, brightening up. "Hooray, 

 dad ! We may sell the berries, may we not ? And we 

 can pay the plaguy coal-man, and live in this house still." 



" We can try," said his father. "I have no objection 

 to the sale of the berries." 



Mrs. Wellson breathed more freely, and Mary actually 

 smiled upon her uproarious brother. 



Her every hope was realized if if the berries 

 brought enough to supply the deficit. Would they ? It 

 was an open question, but one worth trying, provided some 

 one never found it out. 



All this to herself; for the others, only smiles and a 

 rosy face. 



" What pleases you, Mary ? " said her father. 



"Nothing very special," she replied. "I was merely 

 thinking that if we could stay here how nice it would be." 



"Come, Kate," cried Johnny, "let's go see about the 

 baskets for to-morrow." 



