"Oh, would you, Daddah?" cried Alice. "That would be jolly. Then it's all settled—we're going!"
"Talk about deciding in a hurry," teased Mrs. Merrill; "when do we start?"
"I have some business that I've needed to do for a week. Suppose we all take the early limited that leaves at eight? Then we can have a good long day and time for a fine lunch together."
That plan suited Mrs. Merrill and was agreed upon at once. "Only remember," she reminded them, "eight o'clock on the car, means everybody up early."
"I'll set the alarm for six," promised Mr. Merrill.
"And I'll do my two days' practicing today," said Alice.
"And I'll help, mother, truly I will," said Mary Jane.
"We ought to have no trouble getting off then," said Mrs. Merrill, "and I, for one, think we'll have lots of fun."
That evening, every one laid out their clothes ready for morning; lists were made out and then the girls were sent to bed a whole hour earlier than usual so they would feel ready for the day's fun.
It was a good thing everything was planned before hand, for eight o'clock came very early the next morning—or so it seemed; and there was considerable scrambling to get hair ribbons on and gloves buttoned and the house all locked up in time for the car.