“Oh, what a treat that will be!” Eva said, as she nestled down in the soft bed. “In the Home we have to be up at six.”
But, for all their resolution to sleep late, both of the girls were wide awake with the robins who lived in the apple-tree nearest the window. Eva sat up and exclaimed, “Oh, Adele, wouldn’t it be lovely on the top of Lookout Hill so early in the morning! I’ve often wanted to climb up there.”
“Let’s go!” Adele replied.
An hour later, the two girls, having breakfasted in the kitchen, even Kate, the cook, being still asleep, started out on the highway.
“I left a note at mother’s place on the table,” Adele said, “and I told her that we might be gone all the morning.”
Hand in hand the two girls skipped along the deserted road, through the village and out into the country.
There the dwellers in tree and grass were awake; no laggards were they.
“Good morning to you, little squirrel,” Eva called gayly, as a little red creature darted by. Adele noted with pleasure her friend’s shining face.
“Good-morning, meadow-lark,” she called to a bird which was perched on a fence-post, warbling its cheeriest song. Then, single file, they tripped over the little brown path which led across the Buttercup Meadows and on up the hill.
“Look at yonder gnarled oak-tree,” Adele exclaimed. “If we rapped upon it, do you suppose a door would open and a girl dryad would appear?”