if you would cheer up and
see the sun shining once more?"

"What is it?"--the girls leaned forward eagerly; they had caught the
note of mystery in their aunt's voice.

"Well," said Auntie Mogs very solemnly, "it's only the beginning of a
secret, so you mustn't take it too seriously; but, just for fun,
suppose that next year Sally didn't go back to school alone; suppose
the Page twins went with her."

"Auntie Mogs!" Phyllis and Janet exclaimed so loudly that several
people in the parlor car turned to look at them, and one old gentleman
winked above his open paper.

"I only said suppose," Auntie Mogs reminded them, and she picked up her
paper with the most casual air in the world and began to read.

It is not difficult to imagine what the topic of conversation was
during the rest of the trip. In fact, they were still talking about it
as they drew in to the station.

"I hope I see somebody I know!" Janet exclaimed, as they followed the
porter with their bags; "but I don't suppose I will. It's exciting,
just the same; I feel as if I were dreaming," and she sighed happily.

Dreaming or not, it is certain that she was totally unprepared for the
sight that awaited her on the little platform. All Old Chester seemed
to be waiting to welcome her, and she stood looking at them in a daze.

The Blake girls and their mother were almost under her feet as she
stepped from the train, and Martha was just behind them. Harry
Waters's grin of welcome seemed a thing apart from his freckled face as
he took the bags away from the porter, his mother directing him fussily
the while. And off, a little to one side, stood Mrs. Todd, tall and
mannish as ever, but smiling her heartfelt welcome.

There was a hub-bub of greetings that lasted for several minutes, then
Mrs. Todd took command of affairs in her usual masterly way.

"Come along, Moggie, and call those children or we'll never get home.
My carriage is waiting just around the corner; the horses don't like
the train, sensible beasts, so Peter had to hold them. I suppose he's
died of impatience by now though," she added, smiling.

"Go with Mrs. Todd, dearie," Martha directed as she had always done.
"I am going home with Tim and the trunks, and I'll be there before you."

"All right," Janet agreed, smiling. It did seem good to hear her old
nurse's orders again. "Come on, Phyl," she called.

Phyllis nodded good-by to the Blake girls and joined her.

"If Sally were here she