The idea of camp appealed to both, to Daniella especially, for she had begun life in the woods and its wildness still suggested the freedom and unhampered days of her childhood. “I know papa will let me go if I ask him,” she said when they urged her to be one of the party.
Jo, however, when they put the question to her, shook her head. “Too expensive a treat for this child. Something like a pitch-your-tent-on-our-back-lot would suit my purse better, none of your modern elegancies such as summer camps are. If you had suggested my packing my tent and my clothes in a canoe, lugging it across country on my back and dumping it down by Lake Memphramagog or Molechunkemunk Lake or some such Indian haunted spot, I might consider it, but as it is, nay, nay, Pauline; Josephine has not the price.”
But here, as often before, Miss Helen came to the rescue, and after marching Jo up and down the porch for a few minutes, during which there was earnest conversation, the two returned to the group sitting at the further end, and Miss Helen announced, “It is settled. Jo is going with us.”
“If my family consent,” put in Jo as a proviso.
“Of course they will consent,” said Nan. “You know they will. My, but that is fine, Jo. We consider you a great acquisition to our party.”
“Thanky kindly, marm. I’m ready to dance a jig for sheer joy. After all these months of separation you Corners seem more desirable than ever. Next year it’s a greasy grind for Jo if she goes to college, for she will have to put herself through by sewing on skirt braids or doing some such menial work for the rest.”
The idea of Jo sewing on skirt braids or anything else was so funny that they all laughed. “Do try some other stunt than sewing, Jo,” Nan proposed, “for I am sure your needle will never put you through anything.”
“You don’t know what I can do till I try. I am like the man who was asked if he could play the violin, you know; he said he couldn’t tell for he had never tried.”
“What about you, Danny?” asked Mary Lee. “Of course you will write to Mr. Scott at once.”
“Of course I shall. Let me see, the first of July is not three weeks off, and school closes in less than a week; there will be about ten days in between.”