“It’s so far over there that we wouldn’t have time to come before rehearsal, but we might go over at four, couldn’t we, Eunice?” asked Cricket, hopefully.
“Oh, how provoking! You see, I have a music lesson at four, and Mr. Schwarz is so cross if I’m a minute late; and I know there won’t be anything left of that candy to offer you, after the children get hold of it. Can’t you skip rehearsal, just once?”
“No, we’ve engaged not to,” said Eunice. “It would be nice, but we mustn’t, Elsie. Good-bye. Cricket, we’ll be late to luncheon if we don’t hurry.”
It chanced that mamma had an engagement at the dentist’s, and had to hurry away from the luncheon table.
“And I shan’t be home till late in the afternoon, girls,” she added, “for, after I leave the dentist, I have several people to see on Guild business. Be prompt with Miss Raymond, my little maids, and do well.”
She was hardly out of sight when a group of little school friends trooped up the steps. Eunice and Cricket, standing in the window, saw them coming, and flew down to the hall to meet them.
“Get your things on right away,” they cried, in a chorus. “They say there is splendid skating on the lake, and we’re all going out there. It will probably be gone by to-morrow, they say. Do hurry, girls!”
“Oh, jolly!” cried Cricket, flying away. Then she stopped short, and looked at Eunice.
“We can’t go, girls,” said Eunice, soberly. “We have rehearsal at three.”
“Oh, cut for once! All the girls have cut sometime, you know. You can’t be there always.”