girls were not making ready for
the excursion, but were gathering up the dishes and clearing the
table. She flashed a reproachful look at them.

"You might let those wait," she protested.

Grandmother smiled. "You do surely belong to the 'land of _poco
tiempo_,' Blue Bonnet."

"But the dishes will keep--"

"And so will the Spring!"

The girl gave a discouraged sigh; it was a pity Grandmother had not
been brought up in Texas; then she would have understood what were the
really necessary things in life. She nodded wistfully at the boys.
"Grandmother believes in every girl's doing her duty," she said.

"We'll have the manager hold the performance," said Knight cheerfully.
"We'll be back in half an hour,--Carita can go by that time, too."

Blue Bonnet brightened visibly at this, and turned resolutely to the
hated tasks.

"Debby and I will wash the dishes; Sarah can 'red up,' and you and
Amanda do the beds," Kitty suggested.

Aunt Lucinda's training stood Blue Bonnet in good stead here. The
going over the rather bumpy beds got in that half-hour left Amanda
breathless with admiration.

"You can do things beautifully when you want to, Blue Bonnet," she
remarked.

"When I have to, you mean," Blue Bonnet replied.

"Where's the broom, do you know?" asked Sarah.

"Sh!" Blue Bonnet drew her into the tent and out of every one's
hearing. "There isn't any broom, Sarah."

"But I put one in the wagon myself."

"And I _threw it out_!"

"Blue Bonnet!" Something like horror was in Sarah's blue eyes.

Blue Bonnet met her gaze defiantly. "Did you ever see a picture of the
Witch of Salem, Sarah?"

Sarah gave a bewildered nod. "What has the Witch of Salem--"

"Wasn't she riding a broom?" Blue Bonnet persisted.

"Yes--but--"

"Well, in my opinion that's the only good use a broom was ever put to!
It has no place in a respectable camping party."

Sarah said no more; but when, a few minutes later, Amanda and Blue
Bonnet looked out to learn the source of an odd sound, they beheld the
indomitable Sarah, armed with an antiquated rake, gathering up the
leaves and litter on the hard dirt "floor" of the dining-room.

"Who would have thought to see our Sarah grown rakish?" asked Blue
Bonnet,--and then dodged the pillow sent by Amanda's indignant hand.

By the time the allotted half-hour was up, _Poco Tiempo_ was a model
of neatness and order. The girls, booted and hatted in spite of Blue
Bonnet's objections, were ready to