Mrs. Maynard smiled, for Molly was entirely unaware of the mistake she had made in her mother's message, and the other children had not noticed it, either.
"We're glad to have you with us, my dear," Mrs. Maynard replied; "and I hope you'll enjoy yourself and have a real good time."
"Yes'm," said Molly, "I always do."
Then the children ran away to play out-of-doors until dinner-time.
"It's so queer to be here," said Molly, who had never before been away from home alone.
"It's queer to have you, but it's nice," said Marjorie. "Which do you like best, summer or winter?"
"Both!" declared Molly. "Whichever one it is, I like that one; don't you?"
"Yes, I s'pose so. But I like winter best. There's so much to do. Why, Molly, I'm busy every minute. Of course, school takes most of the time, so I have to crowd all the fun into the afternoons and Saturdays."
"Oh, is this your hill?" exclaimed Molly, as they reached their favorite coasting-ground. "What a little one! Why, the hills at home are twice as long as this."
"I know it," said Mopsy, apologetically; "but this is the longest one here. Won't it do?"