White, and Blue! and when they came to the chorus, all point to
Rebecca's flag. Dick Carter suggested that Living Perkins and Rebecca
Randall should sign their names to their pictures, so that the visitors
would know who drew them. Huldah Meserve asked permission to cover the
largest holes in the plastered walls with boughs and fill the water
pail with wild flowers. Rebecca's mood was above and beyond all
practical details. She sat silent, her heart so full of grateful joy
that she could hardly remember the words of her dialogue. At recess she
bore herself modestly, notwithstanding her great triumph, while in the
general atmosphere of good will the Smellie-Randall hatchet was buried
and Minnie gathered maple boughs and covered the ugly stove with them,
under Rebecca's direction.

Miss Dearborn dismissed the morning session at quarter to twelve, so
that those who lived near enough could go home for a change of dress.
Emma Jane and Rebecca ran nearly every step of the way, from sheer
excitement, only stopping to breathe at the stiles.

"Will your aunt Mirandy let you wear your best, or only your buff
calico?" asked Emma Jane.

"I think I'll ask aunt Jane," Rebecca replied. "Oh! if my pink was only
finished! I left aunt Jane making the buttonholes!"

"I'm going to ask my mother to let me wear her garnet ring," said Emma
Jane. "It would look perfectly elergant flashing in the sun when I
point to the flag. Good-by; don't wait for me going back; I may get a
ride."

Rebecca found the side door locked, but she knew that the key was under
the step, and so of course did everybody else in Riverboro, for they
all did about the same thing with it. She unlocked the door and went
into the dining-room to find her lunch laid on the table and a note
from aunt Jane saying that they had gone to Moderation with Mrs.
Robinson in her carryall. Rebecca swallowed a piece of bread and
butter, and flew up the front stairs to her bedroom. On the bed lay the
pink gingham dress finished by aunt Jane's kind hands. Could she, dare
she, wear it without asking? Did the occasion justify a new costume, or
would her aunts think she ought to keep it for the concert?

"I'll wear it," thought Rebecca. "They're not here to ask, and maybe
they wouldn't mind a bit; it's only gingham after all, and wouldn't be
so grand if it wasn't new, and hadn't tape trimming on it, and wasn't
pink."

She unbraided her two pig-tails, combed out the waves of her hair an