"No-o," she answered, "I guess not. What did you think we were leaving?"
"I didn't think we were leaving anything," said Alice half laughing, half embarrassed, "but—"
"Oh, I know," announced Mary Jane laughingly, "I'm missing it too. It's breakfast."
"You don't mean to say—" exclaimed Uncle Hal. "That's certainly one on me! You see, I'm so little used to having my family come to see me, and so very glad to see them when they get here, that I actually forgot breakfast. We'll have to get an extra good one to make up for it."
And an extra good one it certainly was; for Mary Jane had strawberries and cream and toast and fish and hashed brown potatoes and a cup of delicious hot cocoa with whipped cream. While they ate, Mary Jane told Uncle Hal more about her Class Day frock.
"It's white, and pink ribbons—lovely long crispy ribbons," she told him, "and new shoes, pumps just like grown-up ladies." Of course Uncle Hal was much impressed as Mary Jane had hoped he would be, but neither he nor Mary Jane herself would ever in the world have guessed the trouble those pretty new pumps were going to make before another day was over!
Breakfast finished, they went for their walk, going through the Square and down as far as the Commons. The city looked fresh and clean, after a rain the night before and the flowers in the Commons nodded their fresh blooms and looked as though they had grown on purpose to make Mary Jane think Boston was beautiful.
"Now then," said Uncle Hal, looking at his watch, "I've just time for a surprise and then I'll have to leave you."
"Couldn't we go along to Harvard with you?" asked Alice.
"Yes, you could," replied Uncle Hal, "want to?"