“Dan!” said Mother Merrill, and everybody was still. The children looked at Uncle Dan. Then Father Merrill laughed.
“A tent!” shrieked Lucy. Dora jumped right out of her chair and ran around the table to her uncle.
“Are we going, too?” she asked quite breathlessly. “Can I sleep in a tent? I never did, you know.”
Mr. Merrill laughed again, and this time Dan laughed with him.
“You’ve done it now, Dan,” said his sister. “You may as well tell them.”
But Uncle Dan didn’t explain. “Oh, Molly, then you will go?” he asked as eagerly as the little girls.
“I suppose I shall have to,” said Mrs. Merrill, but she didn’t look as though she would find it very hard work.
“What is it? What is it?” Dora was asking with her arms around her young uncle’s neck.
“Quit choking me,” said Dan. “Go back and eat your supper.”