“Won't she let you tell Nancy?” questioned Katie Dean.
“Nancy knows now!” declared Reginald; “just look at her!”
Indeed Nancy's dark eyes were merry, and her voice rippled with laughter, as she said:
“I do know, and I'm going to keep the secret, but it's the hardest one I ever tried to keep.”
At recess they walked arm-in-arm, talking of the party instead of playing games. They were chattering so gaily that they heard no one approach, and when suddenly Patricia Lavine peeped over the wall, they were startled, and wondered how she could have appeared without any one having seen her coming.
“Why, Patricia! Where'd you come from?” said Mollie.
“Oh, I was walking along and came over because I heard you talking. Whose party is it going to be?” she asked.
“Dorothy is to have the party,” said Jeanette, “but why aren't you in school?”
“Why aren't you?” Patricia asked with a saucy laugh.
“It's recess time at our school,” said Nina.