“Thank you,” said Bernice in the nicest kind of way, and they started off.
“Well,” said Dolly, as the other boys had gone too, “Bert is an old trump, after all. Bob was, too, only he was called off just at the wrong time.”
“He’ll do his part yet,” and Dotty wagged her head assuredly; “I’ll make him!”
“Do, Dot,” said Dolly.
CHAPTER XIX
THE ELECTION
It cannot be denied that Dolly had a hard task before her in what she had undertaken. When Bert and Bob went back to school, she lost two very efficient helpers, and her own efforts seemed to be unavailing. Dotty was willing enough to help, but she was so quick-tempered herself, she could do little for or with Bernice.
And Bernice, herself, was most aggravating. Just as Dolly would get the girls and boys ready to do something nice for her, Bernice would break out in a pettish mood, or pick some silly quarrel, that interfered with all plans.
“There’s just this about it,” Dolly said to Dotty, one afternoon, as they sat in Treasure House, talking it over, “we’ve got to do something desperate to boom Bernie, or I’ve got to give it all up, and then she won’t ask her father to let us stay, and we’ll have to go away from Berwick.”
The tears flooded her blue eyes, and rolled down her cheeks. Dotty, overcome by the thought, burst into violent weeping.
“You shan’t go, Dollyrinda! I won’t let you! I can’t spare you!”