t any place to spend money here but at the grocery and meat
shop, and it's burning a hole in my purse. Only four dollars for all of
us. That isn't very much."

"Only four dollars," thought Betty, lifting startled eyes, and thinking
of the five nickels with which she had set forth on her journey. It
seemed a fortune.

"Say that you will go," insisted Eugenia. "I'll think you're mean things
if you don't, for it will give me more pleasure to take you than
anything I can possibly think of."

"Yes, I'll be glad to go," said Joyce. "It is awfully sweet of you to
stand treat, Eugenia."

"I think so, too," exclaimed Betty, adding her thanks. Joyce rose,
gathering up her sketching materials.

"Are you going to the house?" asked Eugenia. "Then ask Lloyd if she
won't send word to Alec to saddle the ponies, and tell her we want her
to take a short ride with us before lunch. Don't say where we are going.
We'll surprise her."

"All right," answered Joyce, moving off down the path.

"And Joyce," called Eugenia after her, "please tell Eliot to brush my
hat and put some new laces in my boots. I'll be there by the time the
ponies are at the house. Don't you think it will be fun?" she added,
turning to Betty, when they were left alone. In the role of Lady
Bountiful she felt very friendly and gracious.

"Yes, indeed!" cried Betty. "I think it will be perfectly lovely. It is
so generous of you, Eugenia, to spend so much for our pleasure!"

"Oh, that's nothing," answered Eugenia, loftily. "Plenty more where that
came from."

On the way to the house, Joyce met Mrs. Sherman driving toward her in a
dog-cart. "Do you want to drive down to the post-office with me?" she
asked. "There is room for one more."

Joyce shook her head and walked on, singing gaily, over her shoulder,
"Other fish to fry, so it can't be I. Thank you kindly, ma'am!"

"Eugenia, Elizabeth, do either of you want to go?" Mrs. Sherman asked,
stopping the dog-cart beside the hammock.

"No, I believe not, thank you," said Eugenia, languidly. "It's so hot
this morning."

Betty's mouth and eyes both opened in astonishment at the excuse Eugenia
gave, and her godmother smiled at the sight.

"Well, Elizabeth," she said, playfully, "I see that you are not going to
leave me in the lurch. I knew that I wouldn't have to go begging far for
company."

"Oh, I'd love to go, godmother," cried Betty, "if it was only any other
time. But I've just been invited to ride over to t