“And Madeline in Italy, and the rest of you anywhere between New York and Denver,” finished Rachel. “It doesn’t look very probable.”
“It’s going to happen though,—I’m sure of it,” persisted Betty gaily.
“Oh, I do just hope so,” said little Helen Adams, stepping on board her train.
“They say that what you want hard enough you’ll get,” said Madeline philosophically. “Come on, Shylock. Don’t any of you forget to send me steamer letters.”
“Wait! we’re going on that train too,” cried Babe, clutching her parcels.
“Babe can’t make connections if we wait,” explained Babbie.
“And she’d get lonely going so far without us,” added Bob.
The four who were left stood where they could wave by turns at the two trains until both were out of sight.
Then Betty caught her three oldest friends into a big, comprehensive hug. “After all,” she said, “whether we ever get together or not, we’ve had this—four whole years of it, to remember all our lives. Now let’s go and get one more strawberry ice before train-time.”