After several delays they started off full of the project suggested by Claudia. “I didn’t like to confess it,” said Joanne when they were on their way, “but do you know I have never stayed over night with girls? For some reason Gradda is set against it, and I am just crazy to do it. Of course last summer up at camp was much the same thing, but not exactly.”
“It doesn’t seem possible,” exclaimed Winnie. “I thought all girls did. I’ve spent the night at Claudia’s scores of times. I don’t see what could be the objection.”
“Neither do I,” responded Joanne; “it is only one of Gradda’s little idiosyncrasies.”
They parted at the corner, Winnie’s parting charge being: “Try your grandfather first.”
CHAPTER XVIII
UNDER THE STARS
FOLLOWING Winnie’s advice Joanne hunted up her grandfather as soon as she went in the house. She found him, where he usually was at this hour, in the library reading the evening paper.
“Well, Pickings,” he said looking up, “what’s the good word this evening?”
“Stars,” returned Joanne.
“Has something struck you and made you see stars?”
“No, Grad, but it has struck me that I want to see stars. We girls, Winnie Merryman and Claudia Price and I have decided to study the heavens every Friday that it is clear enough, and I’m going to begin a star map right away. You know how it is done? You take an old umbrella and a lot of little paper stars which you stick on the inside of the umbrella in the forms of the constellations. Then when you have learned the constellations you draw them from memory so that in time you learn them all, and can recognize them when you look up.”