The Wreck

Ollie had been swinging for nearly an hour in the grove behind the old farm-house, when she heard her mother's voice calling, "Ollie, Ollie! where are you, child?" Ollie stopped swinging and listened. "That is mamma," she said; "I must run quickly and see what she wants." So, jumping down and leaving the swing to "die away" by itself, she skipped along the path which led up to the back door. Her mother was standing on the step, holding a basket in her hand. When she saw Ollie she said, "Ah, here you are; I have been looking for you all over the house."

"I have been swinging, and only just heard you calling," answered Ollie. "Do you want me?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Rogers; "I want some more sugar. I thought we had plenty, but these new cookies that Mrs. Coe told me about do take a great deal more than my old ones. So, go as quickly as you can, my dear, for I am dreadfully bothered for the want of it."

[Illustration: Willie]

"Yes," said Ollie, taking the basket; "I will not be a minute. Couldn't Willie go with me? See, he is looking through the window. I am sure a little walk would do him good."

"No, not yet," said Mrs. Rogers. "The doctor says he must not leave the house before next week. Now run along."

Ollie threw a kiss toward the window and started down the path. She was just going to open the gate when she heard a "rat-tat-tat" behind her.

[Illustration: Ollie]

"Willie wants something, I am sure," she said, turning back again; "I wonder what it is! He is pointing under that bush, but I do not see anything. Ah, here you are, you rogue! it is you who are wanted;" and she pulled out a great big black rabbit, Willie's especial pet. "It is just as well that I have to go to the house again, for I forgot my sun-umbrella, and I am sure the day is very hot."

[Illustration: The pet rabbit]

The sun-umbrella to which Ollie alluded was one of her birthday presents, and she was always glad when the sun was hot enough to make it useful. The rabbit being laid in Willie's lap, Ollie started off once more, running as fast as she could to make up for lost time. In a few minutes she reached the village. The sugar was soon bought and tucked away in the basket.

Ollie ran along, and was just hesitating whether she should climb the fence and run through Squire Thompson's lot, or go around by the road, when she saw, just before her, Lucy Coit, walking along with her school-books in her bag.

"There is Lucy," said Ollie; "I wonder what she is doing with her bag of books at this time of day. I will run up and ask her."

[Illustration: Lucy]

Ollie soon overtook her schoolmate, and putting her arm around her waist they walked on together.

"I could not imagine what you were carrying your school-books for," said Ollie. "You can't have been kept after school, for you always know your lessons so well."

"No," said Lucy, "I wasn't kept after, but I stayed myself. I couldn't get a sum in fractions right, and Miss Palmer said if I would wait till every one had gone she would show me about it. Now I know it, and I am going down to the beach. Don't you want to go too?"

"Oh, yes," said Ollie; "but I must take this sugar to mamma first. Let's climb over these bars and cut across this field. It is a great deal shorter than by the road."

[Illustration: Geese]