“Somebody’s driving in,” Carol exclaimed. “Who do you suppose it is?”
“Go down and see,” Dixie suggested.
The smaller girl, having heard the clock strike two, was sure that the “s’prise” was about to take place, and so she scrambled down the ladder that led from the loft to the kitchen. Skipping to open the door, she beheld on the porch no less a personage than Miss Josephine Bayley, and with her was Sue Piggins, while behind them loomed a tall youth who was Ira Jenkins, the blacksmith’s good-natured, very shy, and much-overgrown son.
Miss Bayley held out both hands and kissed Carol first on one cheek and then on the other. “Happy birthday, dear,” she exclaimed, “and may you have many more, and all as happy as I am sure that this one is.”
The flushed little girl looked up at the young teacher with glowing eyes. “Oh! Oh!” she cried, “Now I know what the s’prise is. It’s a party!” She whirled to find Dixie, Sylvia, and Ken standing back of her in the big sunny kitchen. Jimmy-Boy was taking his nap.
The older sister nodded. “That’s part of the surprise,” she began, when the awkward Ira stepped forward and handed Carol a long, flat box, as he said, “Here’s ’nother part of it.”
How the violet eyes sparkled. “It’s a present, I do believe!” the small girl cried. “Oh, Dix, do see, here’s a box with a present in it. Who do you ’spose it is from?”
“Open it and see,” her sister, who was trembling with excitement, suggested. This was a wonderful hour for Dixie, an hour long dreamed of, but one that she had sometimes feared would never come true.
Carol was so eager that her small fingers just could not untie the strings, and so Ken sprang forward and offered the services of the two-bladed knife of which he was so proud.
Snap! Snap! The cord was sundered. Then Carol was about to lift the cover, when Dixie laid her hand on her sister’s. “Guess first, what’s in it,” she suggested, wishing to prolong the thrilling moment.