she will say when she tastes it," said her
father as all three started down the street toward the more pretentious
house where Bess lived. "For Momsey put up the lunch with her own
hands--and I saw what went into it."

"Yes, and you might tell her, honey," added Mrs. Sherwood, with a soft
laugh, "what hard work I had to keep you from eating all the nuts from
the brown bread sandwiches."

"Oh, Momsey, don't," sighed Nan. "You will make me hungry again, and I
have just had breakfast. See! There's Bess. Goodness, doesn't she look
pretty?"

Both Momsey and Papa Sherwood had to admit that Bess was very pretty
indeed in the bright winter sunlight, but each privately thought that
their Nan, with her sparkling brown eyes and flushed cheeks, was, in her
own way, even prettier than Bess.

"Hello, you folks!" called Bess as she reached them, out of breath from
exercise and excitement. "I thought you were never coming. Goodness!
what are you carrying two grips for? One is enough for me." Then,
without waiting for a reply, she raced on to another question. "And that
box! What's in it, Nan?" She gazed suspiciously at Nan's mischievous
face. "It looks like a lunch box. It never is!"

"Yes, it ever is," mimicked Nan, in exactly Bess's tone, adding with a
laugh: "And Papa Sherwood very nearly ate all the nuts from the
sandwiches."

"Nan----" began Mrs. Sherwood reproachfully; but at that moment Mrs.
Harley appeared in the doorway and the reproaches were forgotten.

Momsey would not go inside, as the minutes to train time were getting
very few, so after a short disappearance Mrs. Harley joined them and
they started toward the station together. The two girls, Nan and Bess,
lead the way, swinging their bags and talking excitedly.

"I'm almost scared to death," confided Bess, as they turned the corner
that led down to the station and the train that was to bear them so soon
on their wonderful journey.

"Scared?" asked Nan, her eyes big with wonder. "What are you scared
about?"

"Oh, I don't suppose I should call it exactly scared," retracted Bess.
"Just sort of excited and--and--nervous. Going all alone you know--and
everything."

"This isn't the first time we have traveled alone," said Nan
practically. "And we have always come out 'right side up with care.'"

"Oh, Nan, you _are_ so calm," sighed Bess in exasperation. "Won't
anything ever get you excited?"

"Excited," repeated Nan, gazing in amazement at her chum. "I'm so