“Yes, and the Hinhams,” agreed Roxy, smiling at the thought of the party under the big sycamore.
As she followed the brook a short distance on her way toward home, her thoughts were of all that must be done to make the “circus” complete. She resolved to spend the rest of the afternoon in arranging the paper animals, and cutting out the ones that were not yet ready.
But as she went through the opening in the wall and looked up toward the house she gave a little exclamation of surprise and entirely forgot about Grandmother Miller’s birthday surprise as she ran up the slope; for there were the gray ponies and phaeton standing in the yard, and on the porch she could see the three small girls in white dresses and a tall boy talking to her mother.
“The Hinhams! The Hinhams!” she whispered happily, and ran swiftly toward the house eager to welcome them.
CHAPTER IX
UNDER THE SYCAMORE
The Hinham girls had brought the pair of bantams they promised Roxy, and Dulcie took charge of them with many exclamations of admiration and approval, as much pleased as Roxy herself, and said they should have a yard and house to themselves not too far from the kitchen for her to keep an eye on them.
Roxy, looking admiringly at the white dresses of her little visitors, again decided that Jasmine and Myrtle and Ivy were the prettiest little girls she had ever seen.
“Our mother came home from Sharpsburg this morning, and she brought each one of us a ring!” said the smiling Jasmine, and each of the sisters held out their left hand; on each tiny forefinger shone a chased gold ring.
“Oh! And my grandmother gave me one yesterday! Look!” exclaimed the delighted Roxy; and when it was discovered that her ring was exactly the same pattern as Jasmine’s, Grandma Miller smilingly explained it by saying that she had purchased Roxy’s ring in Sharpsburg, and that probably all the rings came from the same shop.
“There’s a secret about our rings,” Jasmine whispered to Roxy. “Every time we look at them we are to remember something.”