These ducks had a home not far from Mrs.Parlin's, and if Dotty Dimple had one temptation stronger than all others, it was the sight of those waddling fowls, with their velvet heads, beads of eyes, and spotted feathers.

When she saw them "marshin' along," she was instantly seized with a desire either to head the company or to march in the rear, and set them to quacking.

She was bareheaded, and Susy ran down stairs to bring her into the house; and that was an end of the school for that day.

Dotty Dimple was something like the kettle of molasses which Norah was boiling, very sweet, but very apt to _boil over_: she needed watching.
When Norah's candy was brought up stairs, the little girls pronounced it excellent.
"O, dear," said Flossy, "I wish our girl was half as good as Norah! I don't see why Electa and Norah ain't more alike when they are own sisters!" "What dreadful girls your mother always has!" said Susy; "it's too bad ?" "I know of a girl," said Prudy, "one you'd like ever'n, ever so much, Flossy; only you can't have her." "Why not ?" said Flossy; "my mother would go hundreds of leagues to get a good girl.

Why can't she have her ?" "O, 'cause, she's _dead!_ It's Norah's cousin over to Ireland." They next played the little game of guessing "something in this room," that begins with a certain letter.