She was awake and up the first of any one in the house the next morning, and long before Grandfather was ready to start she was out sitting in the automobile.

"Look who thinks she's going to the station!" exclaimed Grandfather.

"'Fraid you can't go this time, p.u.s.s.y; there won't be room."

"Oh, _Grandfather_!" exclaimed Mary Jane over the big lump that suddenly came into her throat, "I _must_ go to see my _mother_!" And then she looked at her grandfather and saw the twinkle in his eye.

"You're just teasing, aren't you, Grandfather?" she added anxiously.

"Yes, I am, and I ought to be shot for it, so there!" said Grandfather, who, when he saw how eager she was, regretted his hasty teasing.

"Surely you can go--we'll start in two minutes."

It wasn't more than a second after her father and mother got off the great train before Mary Jane was held tight in her mother's arms and oh, how good it did feel to be there! "I didn't know how much I did want you," cried Mary Jane, "till you're here!"

Mother replied with a satisfying whisper and another pair of kisses, one on each rosy cheek, and then Father had to have his hug and they started gayly home.

After breakfast Mary Jane showed them all the creatures she had learned to love--from the lamb in the pasture lot to the ducks that now lived down by the creek. Then they went back into the house and Mary Jane gave her mother the gla.s.s of jam made all by herself (and you can just guess how proud and happy Mrs. Merrill was over _such_ a gift!) and Alice showed her cake.

"Look's good enough to eat right now," said Mr. Merrill, smacking his lips; "let's have a piece."

"I should say not!" exclaimed Alice; "that's to take to the picnic!"

So then they told all about the plan for the picnic, and Father and Mother were pleased just as everybody had known they would be. And every one set to work at the pleasant preparations.

Mrs. Merrill, Grandmother and Alice stayed in the kitchen, while Mr.

Merrill joined Mary Jane and Grandfather in making preparations for the secret. They didn't let any one see a thing of what they were doing and they carefully covered up the big basket that they stowed away in the back of the car.

At three o'clock they were off and with such good company and over fine roads the twenty-five mile ride to Flatrock seemed all too short.

"Now you folks who think you have the eats," said Grandfather as they all got out of the car, "can just fool around any way you like. Mary Jane and I are going to build a fire for the coffee her father and I will be sure to want."

"That's no surprise," laughed Alice; "Grandmother has the coffee in her basket and she told me I could help you make the fire!"

"Isn't that amazing!" teased Grandfather, and Alice knew from the way he talked that she hadn't guessed the secret after all.

Flatrock was a rough, wooded spot, most unusual for that region; and right through the middle of the woods a pretty little creek ran tumbling over some broad, flat rocks. It was by the side of one of these rocks, close by the little stream, that Grandfather started his fire. He pulled two logs together till they formed a big V; then he and Mr. Merrill and the girls gathered wood, twigs and branches and leaves, till they had a big pile between the logs. They set fire to these and soon they had a heap of glowing coals.

"Now," said Grandfather, "I think it's about time for our surprise.

Shall we get it, Mary Jane?"

She nodded "yes" and he went to the car, bringing back with him the mysteriously covered basket. "You shall take the cover off, p.u.s.s.y," he said.

Mary Jane pulled back the cover cloth and there, inside, was a basket full to the brim of--yes, it was--roasting ears! The very first of the season!

"We keep watch of our corn patch, we do," said Grandfather, and he nodded solemnly at Mary Jane, "and now we're going to have something good."

They piled the roasting ears in on the hot coals, then they built another fire over the top of them, and by the time that had burned down the corn was ready to eat.

Grandmother and Mother and Alice unpacked the baskets and they all sat around and enjoyed the feast. Grandmother's fried chicken and crullers and rolls and Alice's fine cake, which was given the place of honor on a rock by itself where it could be seen all the time till they were ready to eat it, were p.r.o.nounced the best ever.

The moon rose so clear and big and beautiful that it was hard to tell just when day ended and night began. So it was a surprise when Grandfather announced that it was eight o'clock and high time they were starting home. The few sc.r.a.ps, and there weren't very many, were packed neatly into one basket and the party regretfully left the rocks and started for the car.

"n.o.body ever comes along this road at this time of night," said Grandfather. "I'll just get the car out into the middle of the road where you can get in easier." So he pulled it away from the fence where he had left it, and ran it out into the middle of the road.

"Here, p.u.s.s.y," he added, "run around on the other side of the car and hand me that basket."

Mary Jane did as she was told and after he had taken the basket from her she waited in the middle of the road, by the car, till he should be ready to help her in.

No one ever knew quite how it happened--it was all so sudden. Perhaps the other driver, too, thought that no one was ever on that road at that time of the evening. Out of the shadows and the moonshine, around the curve of the road, came a roadster moving so fast that before its driver could realize that some one stood in the center of the road, he had hit Mary Jane squarely and had tossed her over the fence on the opposite side of the road.

Grandfather jumped over the fence after her as quickly as he could out of the car, but, quick as he was, Mary Jane's father was quicker. He picked up the little girl, carried her back to her mother and together they ran their hands over her--no bones seemed to be broken; her heart was beating and she was breathing. But _just_ breathing, that was all.

She lay in her mother's arms as still and quiet--so still and so quiet that she didn't seem like Mary Jane--the Mary Jane who was always running and talking and lively.

Without more than a half-dozen necessary words Grandfather and Grandmother, Father, Mother and Alice got into the car and Grandfather put on all speed. The one thought in every one's mind was to get to Dr. Smith as quickly as ever they could. Grandfather was thankful for the moonlight that made the way so plain and he drove home the fastest he had ever driven.

And so they came back from the picnic at Flatrock.

HOME AGAIN

"Would you speak to her, doctor?" asked Mrs. Merrill anxiously.

It was eight o'clock the next morning. They had reached home about an hour after they left Flatrock and fortunately had found Dr. Smith at home. He came at once in answer to their telephone call and was there even before they had Mary Jane undressed and put to bed. He examined her carefully and could find no broken bones and no injury, but still Mary Jane slept on, breathing, but so quietly and unnaturally that she didn't seem like herself. Her mother and father had stayed by her all the night long; Grandmother, Grandfather and Alice had with difficulty been sent to bed after midnight and Dr. Smith had stayed most of the time.

But when she still didn't stir the next morning Mrs. Merrill grew more and more anxious.

"I don't know," said the doctor doubtfully; "we might try. You speak to her; your voice would be the best."

Mrs. Merrill bent low over her little girl and whispered, "Mary Jane!

Mary Jane! Mother's here!"

No answer, but Mrs. Merrill thought she saw a quiver on the little girl's face, so she tried again.

"Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Mother's here!" she repeated.

"I know," whispered the little girl; "you com'd to-day," and she opened her big blue eyes and looked at her mother.

Mrs. Merrill kissed her rapturously and held her close, and Mary Jane raised her arm enough to pat her mother's shoulder. Then she looked around the room in surprise. "Where's the moon?" she asked.

"The moon?" said Mrs. Merrill, and the laugh she tried to give with her answer sounded very near tears. "The moon went to sleep a long time ago."

"And where's the picnic?" continued Mary Jane wonderingly.

"The picnic was over before you were hurt," said Mrs. Merrill.

Mary Jane stared at her wide eyed for two or three long minutes.

"Don't talk to her," whispered Dr. Smith very softly; "let her think it out herself."

So Mrs. Merrill just held her little girl close and waited.