Rock was jubilant when he heard the decision. "Hurrah for Queen Eleanor!" he cried. "I am just delighted, and all the more that you got ahead of Olive Murdoch."
But Eleanor looked sober when he said this. "She's dreadfully disappointed," she said, "and I'm awfully sorry for her. She studied real hard and does her lessons so well. I sort of think that she should have been chosen."
"Why, Dimple Dallas," exclaimed Florence. "I don't see how you can say that."
"I do think so. She is the best scholar in the school."
"Yes, and she's the hatefullest and the slyest." Florence was too loyal to Eleanor to believe any good of Olive.
"Well, anyhow, Jessie is a nice child and I like her," Eleanor maintained. "She was never mean to me once, and if you were not to be my maid of honor I should choose her next." This Eleanor said to Jessie, and furthermore, invited her to go with Florence, Rock and herself to gather flowers for the arbor under which the queen was to sit. Great masses of mountain laurel, wild honeysuckle and other spring blossoms they carried home in the little pony-cart, and long garlands were woven for the arbor.
"Won't you come and help us make the wreaths?" Eleanor asked Jessie.
"I should like to," she answered, "but mamma said I was to come right home as soon as we got back from the woods. I have had a lovely time, and I'd like to stay," the child repeated wistfully. "I just love that little pony."
"You shall drive with us whenever you want to," Eleanor assured her, as she bade her good-bye.
Eleanor was very thoughtful all the rest of the day, even when she and Rock and Florence were busy over the crown for the May-queen to wear the following day.