t he will do--at least, he
wasn't the last I talked with him about it. I suppose, though, I shall
go wherever Mr. and Mrs. Stonington go, and that is likely to be the
mountains, I heard them say. What are your plans, Mollie?"

"About as unsettled as yours. I did want to go to the seashore, but
mamma is _so_ afraid of the water for Paul and Dodo. Those children
never seem to grow, and half my pleasure is spoiled giving way to them."

"Oh, but they are such sweet dears!" protested Amy.

"Yes, I know, but you ought to live with them a year or so. Did I tell
you Paul's latest?"

"I think not."

"Well, he has a rocking-horse, you know, and the other day----"

"Have some," interrupted Grace, thrusting her bag of chocolates between
her two girl chums, and thus interrupting Mollie's story. "Don't you
want a soda? I've enough change left."

"Soda? Indeed not!" cried Mollie. "And I don't want more than one or two
candies, either!" she went on, as she tried to prevent Grace from
generously emptying half the bag into her small, gloved hands.

The three girls were laughing and--yes, truth compels me to say they
were giggling--when the door of the shop swung open, a girl entered and
at the sight of the newcomer the three burst out with:

"Betty!"

"The Little Captain!"

"Betty Nelson, where were you? We've been looking _all over_ for you!"

"Yes, so I heard," was the calm response of the fourth girl, who swung
in with a certain vigor and lithesomeness as though she had just come
from a game of tennis or basketball. There was a wholesome air of good
health about her, a sparkle in her eyes, and a glow in her cheeks that
told of life in the open.

"I saw you turn in here," she went on, "and I knew I had plenty of time,
as long as I saw Grace with you, so I didn't hurry."

"Oh, I haven't bought so much," declared Grace, with an injured air.
"Just because I want some chocolates now and then----"

"Now--and--_then_!" mocked Betty Nelson, with a laugh. "Better say
_now_--and--_always_. No, thank you," and with a shake of her head she
declined some candy from the bag. "Just had lunch a little while ago.
Mother and I ate on the train."

"Where were you?" demanded Mollie. "At the house they said you were out
of town, and we thought it strange, as you hadn't said anything about
going away, especially as we so recently came back from Florida."

"It was just a little trip, suddenly taken," Betty explained. "Mother
and I went