ay hastily--

"What is it, dear?"

And Blue Bonnet, her tone reflecting the happiness her words gave,
replied: "It isn't _manana_ yet, but I can't wait to tell you--I'm
going when you go, Grandmother."

When they looked up, Benita stood with her apron thrown over her
face.

CHAPTER XXII

HASTA LA VISTA

THE We are Sevens were packing. An open trunk blocked each aisle
between the six beds in the nursery; in Sarah's room two more were
standing, half-filled, one reflecting the neatness and order of its
owner, the other bearing silent witness to the fact that it belonged
to Blue Bonnet Ashe.

"What are you doing with that old stick, Blue Bonnet?" asked Sarah, as
she carefully folded her riding-skirt and laid tissue paper between
the folds.

"Old stick, indeed! That's the alpenstock Knight cut for me and Sandy
carved,--I've sawed off about six inches of it, though it broke my
heart to do it. It's one of my dearest treasures and I'm going to take
it to Woodford if I have to carry it all the way!" Blue Bonnet
declared vigorously.

"I don't see anything so wonderful about it," Sarah returned. "There
are plenty of old sticks just like it to be had around Woodford."

Blue Bonnet lifted indignant eyes. "As if any old Woodford stick could
mean as much as this one. Why, this has the initials of every one in
both camps carved on it, and every inch of it represents a good time.
You've no sentiment, Sarah."

"I certainly haven't enough sentiment to make me rumple my best white
dress with a clumsy old stick," Sarah replied.

"I reckon it ought to have gone in with my shoes, but it's too late
now. How you do fuss over that riding-skirt, Sarah!"

"Well, if you want to know it, I've a lot of sentiment about that
skirt. I wish I could take Comanche along, too."

Here Blue Bonnet amazed Sarah by jumping up and giving her a hug. "Oh,
Sarah, I do love you for saying that! If you had been reconciled to
riding that same old poke you had last year I'd have been
so--disgusted. Won't the livery-man in Woodford open his eyes when
Miss Blake demands a 'horse with some go in him'--! The inhabitants of
the town will get a few thrills too, I reckon."

"Do you think it will be proper for us to ride there the way we ride
here?" Sarah asked eagerly.

"Astride? We'll make it proper! It's the only humane way, Uncle
says--a side-saddle is a downright cruelty. And I don't see why a
parson's daughter shouldn't set the fashion."