kindergarten cloth was holding firm in spite of the fact that the old limb had poked a large hole through it, just above the deep hem. And there she swung, several feet high in the air!

"Get me down! Oh, please do get me down," she begged, and the tears dropped right into the grasses below. "I was only trying to jump to the ground, and my skirt caught on this horrid old limb. Get me down!"

"Well, I don't see how it's to be done," sighed Mother Porky, who was growing very much worried for fear the skirt would tear enough more to let her piglet crash to the ground.

But practical Mother Grunty had hurried back toward the house. In the shed she found a stepladder and a pair of grass shears. These she tugged back to the oak from which still hung Pinky, swinging and swaying and begging and crying.

When Pinky saw Mother Grunty coming along with the ladder and shears, she cried harder than ever, for she knew she could not get onto the ladder, and she didn't know what Mother Grunty meant to do with those large sharp-looking shears.

"Just suppose you climb this ladder and do your best to reach up and cut off the skirt while I stand below and catch her as she drops," puffed Mother Grunty as she came up to them.

"Your new kindergarten dress!" sighed Mother Porky as she climbed the ladder and waited for Mother Grunty to hand her the shears. But it was not very easy to reach so high and to cut that stout cloth with its heavy burden dragging at it. "Clip—snip—snap—snip—clip!" went the shears.

"Getting it?" asked Mother Grunty. "Clip—snip—snap—clip!" again went the shears, and down plumped Pinky into her arms with such a force that both of them fell heavily to the ground.

"Do you know, I had forgotten all about Little-tot!" spoke up Mother Porky as she climbed down the ladder.

"Oh, she's all right. She's still coloring away, I guess," soothed Mother Grunty as the little procession walked gravely up the path to the shed where the ladder and shears were put away. Then into the house filed the same silent four, Pinky in her ragged skirt bringing up the rear.

It was very quiet indeed in Mother Grunty's kitchen. "Where is she!" This time Mother Porky's voice was full of anxious tears. "Little-tot, where are you?" she groaned.

"Wite here, Mudder," came a happy, chirping voice from behind the pantry door. Then, as the door swung open, Mother Porky sank right down onto the wash bench and covered her face with her hands!

"Stand still, Little-tot," begged good, patient Mother Grunty. "Stand still like a good little girl until Aunty can help you."

If ever a youngster needed help Little-tot was the one. For you will scarcely believe what I have to tell you. There stood Little-tot, her face and hands and dress and shoes just painted with dripping molasses, while her feet were stuck fast in the pool of molasses that was slowly widening on Mother Grunty's pantry floor.

"What were you trying to do?" Mother Grunty asked as she put on her oilcloth apron and armed herself with sponges and washbasin and towels.

"Nuffin—only eatin' 'lasses," came the chirping reply. "Me just loves 'lasses. Me picked it up by han'fuls! Yep! right in bofe my han's!" How Mother Grunty did laugh, and it was only the stickiness that kept her from hugging the cunning piglet who liked to "eat 'lasses by han'fuls"!

But Mother Porky could not laugh, even when Mother Grunty said not one bit of harm had been done. Indeed, she spoke of going home at once. But, of course, Mother Grunty would not let her do that.

"Very soon now we'll have a bite to eat, and Blacky-ears and Little-wee will be coming home to amuse the children. Then you and I can have our good visit," she coaxed. And sure enough! Just as the Porky piglets had been excused from the table, in bounded Blacky-ears and Little-wee, followed by Kinky-tail and Curly-tail.

"Mumsie, we fellows want to play pirate, and first may we have some bread and molasses?" called Blacky-ears.

"Oh! don't mention molasses in this house," said Mother Porky as she came through the doorway. When the "pirates" spied their new playmates, they shouted for joy, "Oh, goody! Here's somebody to rob! Come on, will you play too?"

Now "pirate" sounded rather dangerous, but it proved a real blessing to the two mothers who wanted a quiet chat, for not until they were called in for supper did the piglets come in with even so much as a question.

After a supper of corn muffins and strawberry preserves, fresh creamy milk and a fruit cake, the Porky family hurried into their wraps, for they had a rather long ride out to Swineton.

"Now don't you ever again think of Little-tot's molasses. And you come whenever you can," were Mother Grunty's parting words.

As she returned to her kitchen and saw her half-finished washing and her table full of dishes, she chuckled to herself, "I always thought Bad Boy Mischief was more friendly with my two than with any other piglets in the world. But to-day he rode on the shoulders of two very lovely but very lively little girls."

CHRISTMAS IN PIGLAND

Snow covered the ground, and big fleecy flakes fluttered against the window panes of the little brick house where lived Mother Grunty and her two little pigs.

Blacky-ears, the older of Mother Grunty's children, was filling the wood box, singing at the top of his voice—

Little-wee Pig, the younger one, was helping Mother Grunty beat eggs for frosting and had hummed "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way" until his mother did wish he would change the tune.

So, you can easily guess that the month was December and that the exact time was the day before Christmas.

"Wish I'd get a bicycle," puffed Blacky-ears excitedly, as he carefully placed the last large chunk in the wood box.

"You have done well these last six months," answered Mother Grunty with a happy smile, "Perhaps Santa Pig will bring it."

A knock at the door! The postman handed Mother Grunty a large parcel, very mysterious in its red seals and "not-to-be-opened-until-Christmas" marker.

"Put it in the old green trunk in the attic, Blacky-ears," said Mother Grunty with a broad smile. "And then hurry down, for we must get ready to go over to the schoolhouse."

Every Christmas eve Miss Pinky Pig, all gaily dressed in frills and ribbons, held a Christmas entertainment at the schoolhouse. For five years she had taught the little piggies the "rule of three," and on each of the five Christmas eves every one of those same piggies had been too happy for words!

When Mother Grunty and her two excited piglets entered the schoolhouse, they were received by Miss Pinky Pig, who was very glad to see them.

"That's the very grandest Christmas tree I ever saw!" breathed Blacky-ears, as Mother Grunty smoothed a stray lock and straightened his tie.

"Oh, Miss Pinky, do you suppose Santa will really, truly come here to see us?" asked Little-wee Pig.

"Yes, he has promised to come," answered Miss Pinky Pig.

Then when she gave the signal, Little-spotty Pig seated herself at the piano and half