"You dear child," Miss Lee said, laughing, "you do say the funniest things!"
"But"—Phœbe raised her flushed face—"you ain't laughing at me to make fun?"
"Oh, Phœbe, I love you too much for that. It's just that you are different."
"Ach, but I'm glad! And that's why I want to show you my things."
She opened the lid of her chest and brought out a quilt, then another, and another.
"This is all mine. And I finished another one this summer that Aunt Maria is going to quilt this fall yet. Then I'll have nine already. Ain't—isn't that a lot?"
"Yes, indeed," laughed the teacher. "Just nine more than I have."
"Why"—Phœbe stared in surprise—"don't you have quilts in your Hope Chest?"
"I haven't even the Hope Chest."
"No Hope Chest! Now, that's funny! I thought every girl that could have a chest for the money had a Hope Chest!"