“Dick is going to buy a costume at the Harbor; no fair!” cried Norma.
“Let’s make it a rule that nobody shall buy anything new. Let’s put together our costumes entirely out of whatever we already have,” said Tante, who knew how very little pocket money most of the campers had.
“Or whatever we can find, or make out of nothing?” added Nancy.
“Or borrow?” suggested Anne. “We can borrow or lend, can’t we?”
“Of course!” they chorused. Already they had an eye on one another’s possessions. “But don’t anyone tell what you are going to be,” cautioned Nancy.
So it was agreed.
The girls scattered in various directions. Anne went straight to the store-room and rummaged in the trunks which she had not opened since she came to Round Robin. “I thought I might have a chance to wear this,” she said exultingly to herself, as she drew out a shimmering mass from its tissue-paper folds. “Mother said it was nonsense to bring a Columbine dress down here. But now I am glad I did. Nobody will have anything half so fine. Now let’s see if I can’t find something for Nelly. It would be nice to help her out. I expect she hasn’t anything that would do to wear.”
Anne went on rummaging. “Why, here’s that nun’s costume!” she said presently. “I didn’t know Mother put that in, it’s so ugly. I wonder if Nelly would care about that? She could wear anything underneath and be comfortable. I think I will take it over to her.”
Anne folded up the nun’s costume and tucked it under her arm. Dick was waiting in the canoe. “Hello!” he called as she came down the path. “What you got there? A costume for Nelly, I bet! Going to dress her up as a guardian angel or something?” Anne stopped short and hesitated.
“Wait a minute,” she said, turning in the path. “I’ve got to go back for something, Reddy.” When she came down the path again she had quite a different bundle under her arm; a package in white tissue paper.