And for the rest of the day Meeker Cottage was a very busy place indeed. One picnic, you know, is something to get ready for, but two simply doubles the excitement.
"I think we'll fix individual boxes of lunch," said Mrs. Marley to Mrs. Larue. "Then each will have something to carry, and it seems fairer than if one or two have to carry everything. I'm glad the children are going, because it will take their minds off poor little Ella Mooney."
Meanwhile Fred was busy giving advice to Artie.
"Now, whatever you do," he told him, "don't go publishing all over the place that we are going on a picnic to-morrow. Because, if you do, you know what will happen: Carrie Pepper and Mattie Helms will invite themselves and Joe Anderson and Albert Holmes will come along for good measure."
Artie was no more anxious for this calamity to befall their party than Fred, and he said so.
"Carrie says she would like to find where Ella Mooney is and get the hundred dollars," announced Artie.
"Huh, I'd like to find Ella Mooney and tell her father to keep his hundred dollars," Fred declared.
But Margy had already confided to Polly that she would like to find Ella "somewhere 'way off" and take her home and have the reward to put in the bank.
"In place of the money Mother wouldn't let me take for finding the diamond ring," Margy added.
Polly said little, but she thought more about Ella than any one, except perhaps her mother, suspected. She knew that Ella was quiet and rather timid and had been used to being taken care of all her life. She would, Polly thought, be afraid of strangers.