s. Their
thick, rather fair hair was worn in a plait down each young back, and
was tied with a bunch of pale-blue ribbon at the end.

"Hello!" shouted Molly.

The girls flung down their rackets and ran joyfully to meet her.

"Oh, I am so glad you have come!" said Cicely. "It's much too hot to
play tennis, and even croquet is more than we can manage. Are you
going to stay and have lunch with us, Molly?"

"No," replied Molly; "I must go back immediately."

"Oh dear! I wish you would stay," continued Merry. "We could go and
sit in the arbor, and you could tell us another fascinating story
about that school of yours at Hanover."

"Yes, yes," said Cicely; "do stay--do, Molly! We want to hear a lot
more about that remarkable girl Maggie Howland."

"I can't stay," said Molly in a semi-whisper; "but I tell you what,
girls." She seized a hand of both as she spoke. "I have come with
news."

"What?" "What?" asked the twins eagerly.

"There's very seldom much news going on here," said Cicely. "Not that
we mind--not a little bit; we're as happy as girls can be."

"Of course we are," said Merry. "We haven't a care in the world."

"All the same," said Cicely, "tell us your news, Molly, for you do
look excited."

"Well," said Molly, who enjoyed the pleasure of giving her friends a
piece of information which she knew would interest them intensely,
"you know we are to come up here this afternoon to have tea and buns,
aren't we?"

"Oh, don't talk in that way!" said Merry. "One would suppose you were
school children, when you are our darling, dear friends."

"Our only friends," said Cicely. "You are the only girls in the world
father allows us to be the least bit intimate with."

"Oh, well," said Molly, "of course Belle and I are very fond of you
both, naturally."

"Naturally!" echoed Cicely. But then she added, "How queer you look,
Molly, as though you were keeping something back!"

"Well, yes, I am," said Molly; "but I'll have it out in a minute."

"Oh, please, be quick!" said Merry. "Anything a little bit out of the
common is very interesting.--Isn't it, Cicely?"

"Very," said Cicely; "more particularly in the holidays. When we are
busy with our lessons things don't so much matter, you know.--But do
be quick, Molly; what is it?"

"Well," said Molly, "you've asked us to spend the afternoon with
you."

"Of course, and you're both coming, surely?"

"We are--certainly we are--that is, if you will allow us to
br