Valancy turned away resolutely and began building another dust-pile. Again a bigger girl pounced on it. Valancy stood before it, flushed, indignant, arms outspread.

“Don’t take it,” she pleaded. “Please don’t take it.”

“But why?” demanded the older girl. “Why won’t you help to build Olives bigger?”

“I want my own little dust-pile,” said Valancy piteously.

Her plea went unheeded. While she argued with one girl another scraped up her dust-pile. Valancy turned away, her heart swelling, her eyes full of tears.

“Jealous — you’re jealous!” said the girls mockingly.