“Why the sudden fervor?” asked Jessie, munching away happily.
“Because if you take Phil’s advice and eat all the chocolates that you want to while it rains, and it doesn’t clear up soon—well, all I have to say is——”
Jessie laughed, but added, more seriously, “I guess maybe you’re right, after all. There was a time when I’d nearly given up the habit, but now I’m just about as bad as ever. I’m afraid our guardian might not like it.”
“Of course she wouldn’t,” said Evelyn, seizing upon the opportunity eagerly. “Do you know, Jessie, there’s been so much going on and so much excitement that we have—well, rather lost sight of the camp-fire idea, don’t you think?”
“I was thinking just that very thing the other day,” replied Jessie, slowly, putting down a half-finished candy. “It ought to mean just as much to us now, and more, for that matter, than it ever did before——” 113
“Girls, girls, girls!” sang out Lucile, bursting in upon them, with cheeks like two red roses, and waving something white aloft in the air. “We’ve got some letters, some beautiful, thick, booky letters, and you’ll never guess whom they’re from.”
The girls ran to the sofa, where Lucile had flung herself with a pile of letters in her lap, and hung over the back of it excitedly.
“Oh, go on, Lucy; show them to us!” cried Evelyn, as Lucile put both her hands teasingly over the letters, inviting them to “guess.”
“If you don’t hand over my property before I count five,” threatened Jessie, “I shall be compelled to use force.”
“Well, in that case,” laughed the threatened one, “I suppose I’ll have to——”