The pony was indeed there, and the girls all gave exclamations of admiration when they beheld him, for even Firefly was not more handsome.
Then each of the seven rode on his back around the circular drive, and Rosamond declared that a rocking-chair could not be more comfortable.
“I ought to name him Spelling or Grammar, I suppose,” Betty declared. “But since he has a white spot on his forehead, I’m going to call him Star.”
Then, when Uncle George had led the pony back to his stall, Mrs. Burd called the girls to the wide side-porch, which was so attractive and cosy with deep wicker chairs, comfortable cushions, and here and there big drooping ferns on wicker pedestals. When they were seated, Melissy, the colored maid, brought out cold lemonade and little nut-cookies.
“Well,” said Betty with a happy sigh, “I really do not deserve these high marks, for if Uncle George had not bribed me, and if you girls hadn’t encouraged and helped me, I probably would still be spelling ‘believe’ with an e-i.”
“Next year,” Gertrude said wisely, “we will learn our lessons each day as we go along, and then we shall not have to over-study just before the examinations.”
“And now,” Rosamond declared, “since vacation is here, we must plan to give that fudge party which we promised the boys.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
VACATION DAYS
“Vacation days have come again,
Joyous, glad, and free.
We’ll brim them full of happiness
As ever days could be.”
Adele sang this little song as she and the Sunny Six skipped across the meadows on that last day after school. Then, parting with her friends at the cross-roads, she went on her homeward way, walking more demurely, since she was now in the village, but her thoughts were dancing as joyously as before.