nit.

"I guess first that you are going to visit your grandma," she said.

"No," answered Ruby, triumphantly. "I just knew you could n't possibly
guess right, but try again. I won't tell you until you have guessed
six times."

"I am afraid I won't ever know, then," sighed Ruthy. "I can't think of
six places to guess. Are you going to New York?"

"No," answered Ruby. "It is a great deal more important than going to
New York. You know folks don't stay long when they go to New York, and
they don't take a--" but she clapped her hands over her mouth to shut
out the next word. "Dear me, I most told you the very most important
part of the secret. I won't say another word for fear I will tell.
Now guess again."

"I might as well ask you if you are going to the moon," Ruthy said.

"I truly can't guess once more, Ruby, so you will have to tell me."

"I am going to boarding-school," announced Ruby, triumphantly.

Ruthy was just as surprised as Ruby had expected her to be. She sat
straight up in the hay, and let her book fall, while she looked at Ruby
with wide-open eyes.

"What!" she exclaimed, as if she could not believe her ears. "Did you
really say you were going to boarding-school, Ruby Harper?"

"Yes, I really am," Ruby responded, "but there 's more than that to
tell you. What do you suppose I am going to have to take with me?"

"I am sure I don't know," Ruthy answered.

"I am going to have a trunk of my very own," said Ruby, proudly. "It
will be like Maude Birkenbaum's, papa said it would be. It is to be
black, and have a beautiful row of gold nails all around the top, and
then at one end there will be 'M. D. B.' in letters made of the nails
all driven in rows. Won't that be beautiful?"

"Yes, indeed," answered Ruthy. "But what will 'M. D. B.' stand for,
Ruby?"

"Why, for my initials of course," Ruby answered. "Oh, no, I made a
mistake. It won't be 'M. D. B.,' but 'R. T. H.,' to stand for Ruby
Todd Harper. I forgot that my initials and Maude's were n't the same.
But just think of it, Ruthy. To have a trunk of one's own and a key to
it! I think that will be too lovely for anything."

"Are you glad you are going to boarding-school?" asked Ruthy, looking
at her rather soberly.

"Why, yes, of course I am," said Ruby, trying to forget that it meant
going away from home, too.

"How long will you stay, do you suppose?" asked Ruthy.

"Oh, I don't exactly know. Till mamma gets well again, pa