"Think so? Then he's the gladdest person in the world, to-night.

Oh--ee!"

"Well, Win, you can be glad without squeezing the breath out of a body, can't you? Heigho, Robin! Where'd you come from?" said Dolly, as the boy came suddenly upon them from a side hall.

"Why, from the kitchen. The folks there made me eat a lot of good stuff and a woman--I guess it was the housekeeper--she made me put on some of the men's clothes while she took my knickers and mended them.

I'd torn them all to flinders on that slide, or old botched up sled, and she said I was a sight. I was, too. She was awful kind. She made me tell all about Mother and my getting hurt and everything. But she said I ought to go right away and find Mr. Gilpin and get friends with him again. Isn't it funny? He blames _me_ for all that happened and for teasing him to make that wretched sled, yet, sir, if you'll believe me he was the one spoke of it first. True! Said he'd never had a toboggan ride in all his life, long as that was, because he hadn't anybody to go with him. But 'he'd admire' to have just one before he died--"

"He had it, didn't he?" laughed Winifred.

"He had a hard time getting Mrs. Gilpin's consent. She treats him as if he were a little boy, worse'n Mother does me, but he doesn't get mad at all. He thinks she's the most wonderful woman in the world, but I must find him and put myself right with him before we go home and tackle her. He'll need my help then more'n he did makin' that beastly sled! It was awful--really awful--the way he went rolling down that icy slide, but to save my life I can't help laughing when I think of it. Can you?"

At the lad's absurd movements, as he now pictured John's remarkable "ride" they all laughed; but suddenly Dorothy demanded:

"You sit right down yonder on that settle and wait for me. You can't find Mr. Gilpin, now, he's far on the road home. But there's something I must ask Miss Tross-Kingdon--"

"No! You don't ask Miss Tross-Kingdon one single thing till I've had my ask first, Dorothy Calvert! Here I'm nearly crazy, trying to hold in my secret, and--"

"I claim my chance too! I've a pet.i.tion of my own if you please and let the first to arrive win!" shouted Gwendolyn, speeding after the other two toward the "audience chamber."

Thus deserted, Robin laughed and curled up on the bench to wait; while the Lady Princ.i.p.al's sanctum was boisterously invaded by three pet.i.tioners, forgetful of the required decorum, and each trying to forestall the others, with her:

"Oh! Miss Muriel, may I--?" "Please, Miss Tross-Kingdon, my father's--"

"Hear me first, dear Lady Princ.i.p.al, before he gets away. Can--"

But the Lady Princ.i.p.al merely clapped her hands over her ears and ordered:

"One at a time. Count twenty."

CHAPTER XV

MRS. JARLEY ENTERTAINS

"I've counted! And I beg pardon for rushing in here like that. But I was afraid the others had favors to ask and I wanted to get mine in first!" said Gwendolyn, after the brief pause Miss Tross-Kingdon had suggested.

"Oh! you sweet, unselfish thing!" mocked Winifred, "your favor can't be half as fine as mine--"

"Nor mine! Oh! do please let me speak first, for fear he gets away!"

begged Dorothy, eagerly.

"First come first served, Dolly, please!" coaxed Gwendolyn and the teacher nodded to her to speak.

"Mine's for next Sat.u.r.day. Mrs. Jarley's Wax Works are to be in town and Mamma says if you'll allow I may invite the whole school to go.

She'll have big sleighs sent out for us and will let us have supper at the hotel where she stops. May we go?"

"Wait a moment, Gwendolyn. Did you say the 'whole school'?"

Each year Lady Jane had allowed her daughter to entertain her schoolmates in some such manner but the number had, heretofore, been limited to "Peers" only. Such a wholesale invitation as this required some explanation.

Gwendolyn's eyes fell and her cheek flushed, while the other girls listened in wondering delight for her answer, which came after some hesitation. But came frankly at last in the girl's own manner.

"I'm ashamed now of the silly notions I used to have. I wanted to do something which would prove that I am; so instead of picking out a few of what we called 'our set' I want every girl at Oak Knowe to join us.

You'll understand, of course, that there will be no expense to anybody. It's Mamma's farewell treat to us girls, before she goes abroad. May she and I give it?"

"Indeed, you may, Gwendolyn, if the Bishop approves. With the understanding that no lessons are neglected. The winter is about over.

Spring exams are near, and 'Honors' or even 'Distinction' will not be won without hard work."

"Thank you, Miss Muriel. May I go now and ask the Bishop, then tell the girls?"

"Certainly," and there was an expression of greater pleasure on the lady's face than on that of Gwendolyn's even.

Winifred executed what she called a "war dance" as Gwen disappeared, crying:

"That's what I call a wholesale burying of the hatchet! That 'Honorable' young woman is distinguishing herself. Don't you think so, Miss Muriel?"

"I am pleased. I am very pleased. Gwendolyn has surely dropped her foolishness and I'm proud of her. It's so much safer for anyone to be normal, without fads or fancies--"

"Oh! come now, you dear Schoolma'am! Never mind the pretty talk just this minute, 'cause I can't wait to tell you--Father's coming--my Father is coming and a proper good time with him! If you'll only remember I wasn't saucy then--A girl you'd raised to hand, like me, couldn't really be saucy, could she? And--and please just wait a minute. Please let me talk first. Because _I_ can't ask _everybody_, but my darling Father means just as well as Lady Jane. His invite is only for a dozen--round baker's dozen, to take a trip in his car to Montreal and visit the Ice Palace! Think of that! The beautiful Ice Palace that I've never seen in all my life. If you'll say 'yes,' if you'll be the picker out of 'em, besides yourself and Miss Hexam and Dawkins--Oh! dear! You three grown-ups take off three from my dozen-thirteen! But there'll be ten left, any way, and please say yes and how many days we may be gone and--Oh! I love you, Miss Muriel, you know I do!"

The lady Princ.i.p.al calmly loosened Winifred's clasping arms, and smilingly looked into the sparkling, pleading eyes before her. Who could be stern with the whimsical child she had cared for during so many years, and under whose apparently saucy manner, lay a deep love and respect? She did not enlighten the pleader on the fact that this was no new thing she had just heard; nor that there had been written communications pa.s.sing between Mr. Christie and the Bishop with consent already won. But she put her answer off by saying:

"We'll see about it, Winifred: and I'm glad there was n.o.body save Dorothy here to see you so misbehave! But if we go, and if the selection is left to me, I may not please you; for I should choose those whose record for good conduct is highest and whose preparation for exams is most complete."

Winifred wrinkled her brows. Of course she, as hostess couldn't be counted either out or in, but she knew without telling that but few of her own cla.s.s-ten would be allowed to go. They were the jolliest "ten"

at Oak Knowe and oftener in disgrace about lessons than free from it.

"Oh! dear! I do wish we'd dreamed this treat was coming! I'd have forced the 'Aldriches' to study as hard as they played--if--if I had to do it at the point of my mahl-stick. I guess it'll be a lesson to them."

"I trust it will, dear, but Dorothy has waited all this time. Three little maids with three little wishes, regular fairy-tale like, and two of them granted already. What's yours, Dorothy?"

Since listening to the others' requests, her own seemed very simple, almost foolish; but she answered promptly:

"I want to get you a boot-boy."

Winifred laughed.

"Hey, Dolly! To switch off from a private-car-ice-palace-trip into a boot-boy's jacket is funny enough. Who's the candidate you're electioneering for?"

Miss Muriel hushed Winifred's nonsense which had gone far enough and was due, she knew, to the girl's wild delight over her father's promised visit.

"If you could find a good one for me, Dorothy, you would certainly be doing me a favor, not I one for you. Whom do you mean?"

"Robin Locke, Miss Tross-Kingdon. He's so very poor."