When there was a lull in the singing, as they passed through the village, Betty, almost asleep in the hay, grunted:
“You may all thank me for this party; it never would have happened if I hadn’t squashed that bally lemon.”
The wagon drew up under the Bridge of Sighs, just as the big school clock tolled ten o’clock. The girls parted with many thanks on both sides, and they were all conscious that they would remember this as the jolliest evening of the year.
As Polly and Lois said good night in the latter’s room, Lois said:
“Well, it was a success, and no one but Bet and Louise guessed about the box.”
“Wasn’t it!” agreed Polly. “I’m awfully glad we thought of it; we’d have starved if we hadn’t. I think the Seniors enjoyed it, too. Isn’t Louise a darling? Do you know, Lo, if I wasn’t so strongly opposed to ‘crushes,’ I might get an awful one on Louise.”
“Could you?” smiled Lois in reply. “I’ll tell you a secret—I’ve had quite a desperate one on her myself for two years.”
Later, as Polly slipped into bed, she said aloud to the pictures on the wall:
“What a wonderful box it was.” And closing her eyes she murmured sleepily: “Bless Uncle Roddy’s heart.”