would be in
Baltimore."

That settled it. Whatever was done "in Baltimore" seemed to these young
provincials as the acme of correctness; little knowing that to a wider
world even "Baltimore" was also provincial.

But it was easy enough to "count noses," as Mary phrased it, and the
list of names Katharine had already prepared swelled considerably. She
wrote as she walked, the cover of her book her desk, and with such
haste that the writing was almost illegible. However, a trifle of that
sort could be overcome.

"No, Mattie, I know it isn't very plain, but I guess I'll make it out.
Let's hurry. Reuben Smith's blowing his go-away horn, and I want to
see--Oh, yes! There he is! The stage-driver keeps blowing every little
while, yet he keeps talking, too, so I know it's all right! Oh, just
fancy! It's going to be perfectly, perfectly splendid! Oh, you dear,
dear things!"

Katharine's playmates were accustomed to being caught up and hugged
whenever anything pleased her more than common, and she was usually as
free in explaining her delight as in expressing it physically. But she
explained nothing now. She merely squeezed their hands, and stared at
Mr. Smith still arguing with Montgomery, till suddenly looking around
she saw their puzzled faces.

"Never mind me, girls. I can't tell yet, not just yet, because it's a
beautiful secret. But you'll all know right soon. You're going to be in
it, too; we're all going to be in it! Oh, the happy old man! Oh, the
fun! Oh, the queer crazy decorations! I believe _I'm_ just too happy to
live! But the stage is going and I must run to Monty. Good-by. Be sure
to be at school to-morrow. Then you'll know."

Reuben Smith mounted to his high seat, blew a farewell blast on his
ancient horn, and drove away out of the village, while Montgomery fairly
tumbled over himself in his haste to meet Katharine, who greeted him
with the question:

"Well, will he do it?"

"Y-y-y-ye-es!" gasped the breathless lad, and sat down on the edge of
the path to recover.

For once careless of dust, Kate dropped down beside him and counted
questions off upon her fingers so fast that Monty could only nod his
head in acquiescence. Then she drew a small chain purse from her blouse
pocket, where it had been carefully pinned ever since she left home in
the morning. From this she took a pile of new one-dollar bills--ten in
all--and laid them one by one on Montgomery's outstretched palms. It was
the largest amount