Leonora preferred a walk in the rain to one alone, so they hurried into their raincoats and were off.
"Our company's dwindling," observed Miss Crilly, as the door shut upon Mrs. Post and Mrs. Crump, "but I don't want to go home yet—need I, Miss Sterling?" "Certainly not! I want you all to stay. Polly, you are queen of ceremonies—what shall we do next?"
"We might try some of Grandaunt Susie's exercises," twinkled Polly.
"Just the thing!"
"Who's Grandaunt Susie, pray?" Miss Crilly was frankly curious.
"Mother's grandaunt," explained Polly. "She was miserable, and these exercises made her strong enough to do almost anything. She is seventy-three,—or was when she was here, a year ago,—and father himself says she doesn't look a minute over thirty-five!"
"Oh, my! Let's try'em! I want to look 'not a minute over thirty-five'!" Miss Crilly waved her hands excitedly.
"How do you begin—this way?" Miss Mullaly sprang to her feet, threw out her chest, and worked her arms up and down.
"Oh, no!" cried Polly. "That is not it at all! You take them lying down!"
"Mercy!" cried Miss Lily.