“Oh, but she will, I just know she will,” Nancy replied, “and Aunt Charlotte'll have to let her. You know Mr. Corryville was in your papa's class at college, and if he says he wishes Arabella to join the class, your papa will surely say ‘yes.’”
“He certainly will,” said Dorothy, “but there's one thing to think of,” she said, with a bright smile, “There are nice girls in the class, and if Arabella is queer, we mustn't mind it.”
“We'll try not to,” Nancy said, and then, as Dorothy again swung her rope, Nancy “ran in,” and the two skipped around the house together, the rope whipping the gravel walk in time with the dancing feet.
It was cool and shady near the wall, and they sat down upon a low seat where the soft breeze fanned their flushed cheeks.
“I'd almost forgotten something that I meant to tell you,” Dorothy said. “You know Aunt Charlotte says that the pupils are to give a little entertainment each month, when we are to have dialogues, songs, solo dances, pieces to be spoken, and chorus music. Well, mamma has arranged to have a fine little stage and curtain. You didn't know that, did you?”
“Indeed I didn't,” said Nancy, “and I guess the others will be surprised. You haven't told them yet, have you?”
“I only knew it this morning myself, but I'm eager to tell them,” said Dorothy.
“Here's Mollie Merton and Flossie Barnet now,” cried Nancy, and, turning, Dorothy saw the two playmates running up the driveway.
“Mollie was over at my house,” said Flossie, “and we saw you and Nancy just as you ran around the house, and we thought we'd come over.”
“We were wild to know if our private school is truly to commence next week. Mamma said it would if enough pupils were ready to join it,” said Mollie, “and we knew Katie Dean's cousin was a new one, and won't it be funny to have one boy in the class?”