"Sounds a bit hot, seems to me, for to-day," giggled Tilly. "I think I shall like the parks better."
"All right; we'll let you do the parks—all of them," cooed Genevieve, wickedly. "There are only twenty-one, you know, my dear."
"Genevieve Hartley, if you remember your lessons next year one half as well as you have that abominable guidebook, you'll be at the head of your class!" remarked Tilly, severely, as the others rose from the table, with a laugh.
It was another long, happy day. The parks, as Tilly had predicted, proved to be cooler than the Hot Sulphur Well, and they certainly were more enjoyable, even though only two of Genevieve's announced twenty-one were visited—Brackenridge Park, and San Pedro Park. It was the former that Cordelia enjoyed the most, perhaps, for it was there that she saw her much-longed-for buffalo. Tired, but still enthusiastic, they reached the hotel in time to dress for the visit to Fort Sam Houston, upon which Mrs. Kennedy was to accompany them.
Getting dressed was, however, a grand flurry of excitement, for time and space were limited; and there was not one of the Happy Hexagons who did not feel that on this occasion, at least, every curl and ribbon and shoe-tie must display a neatness that was military in its precision.
Perhaps only Elsie of all the girls wept over the matter. Her eyes were red when she knocked at Genevieve's door.
"Why, Elsie!"
"Genevieve, I've come to say—I can't go," choked Elsie.
"Why, Elsie, are you sick?"
"Oh, no; it's—clothes. Genevieve, I simply haven't anything to wear."