"How many more girls belong to this company?"
"They are all outside waiting, I'll call them in if you say so. They are behind the lilac bushes. You see we were afraid some of the boys might come to see you, so we hid. For we don't wish them to know about this at all. I'll call the girls in now." So Delia ran to the door, held it wide open, and called "Come girls, he wants to meet you!"
"Come right in, girls. This one," pointing to a girl with light hair and bright eyes, "is Eloise. Her father keeps the Inn. And this is Josephine, who has no yard at all; and Helena who has plenty of ground; and this," with a grand flourish, "this is the judge's daughter, Katharine."
"I hate," said Katharine, "always being labelled; I think it's pretty hard on a girl to be tagged this way."
"If you'll sit down," began The Chief—"although there are not chairs enough—we'll get right down to business."
And then how they talked! Closer and closer they drew up to The Chief until the eight heads were so close together they seemed almost one huge head. Finally they all shouted with laughter.
"Not a word outside, mind you, not one word. Prove that girls can keep a secret."
"We solemnly promise," said Katharine for the others.
"Look," cried Elizabeth, "there comes Jack; what shall we do?"
"Out this way," quietly replied the man, almost sweeping seven happy little girls out of the door. "Now, cut and run." And off they scampered over the fields.