They shut their eyes and fumbled in the cracker-box. The room was oddly
quiet. Laura Ann, who always drew the fatal slip, breathed a little
hard.

But the lot fell to the Talentless One.




CHAPTER II.


"Why, I didn't get it!" exclaimed Laura Ann, in surprise. "And maybe I'm
not thankful! Poor T.O.!"

"Yes, poor T.O.!" agreed Loraine and Billy. The honor of drawing the
longest slip was not, it appeared, a coveted one. But T.O. actually
beamed!

"Needn't anyone pity me!" she said, briskly. "I like it! You see," she
added, explanatorily, "I never did anything remarkable before! Of course
I sha'n't blame you girls any if you shake in your shoes while I'm gone,
but I'll promise to do my little best. If you thought you could trust
me--"

"We do! We do!" Loraine said, warmly, speaking for them all. "And we
pity you, too, poor dear! It looks like an awful undertaking to me."

"How long can you take? Are you sure they'll let you get off down at