“Cold weather is predicted, Isabel. Didn’t you feel how much colder it was?”
“It was cold enough, but you have to have snow.”
“The blizzard is obligingly on its way. We’re going to have frozen roads, plenty of snow, and clearing weather for the trip. Mark my words!”
A rapid step on the stairs, dash through the hall, and Lou Hunt was in the dining room. “Come on, Lou,” said Isabel cheerily. “Room for one more. Cocoa on the stove.” Lou spoke his morning greetings to Virginia, cut another orange, filled a dish with cereal, a cup with hot cocoa, and sat down next to Virginia. The two other boys were opposite the girls, and Will pushed some extra silver over to Lou.
The informal, jolly ways of the family delighted Virgie. She listened to the bright comments of the boys, putting in a word or two when addressed. Will told how the daughter of the local magnate was going to give a party and had invited the older Hunt boys and Isabel. At Will’s expression the girls exchanged glances, and Isabel said, “See, Virgie, there it is, ‘the Hunt boys and Isabel!’”
“I told her that one of the Greycliff girls was coming and she immediately extended the invitation to Virginia.”
“Oh, how good of her!” said Virginia, delighted.
“Effie has sent out regular invitations. Yours is on the mantel in the sitting room, Isabel. We forgot to give your mail to you last night. She found out that the boys were thinking of it, so got up these cute invitations. They say, ‘Ye Old Time Sledding Party’ and run on in a quaint way, leaving the date unsettled till snow time. Her brother is going to call up the boys when the snow is right and they are ready for us.”
“Meanwhile,” said Milton, “it is up to us to get our girls engaged ahead. May I have the pleasure of your company, Miss Hope?”
“Listen to that!” exclaimed Will, while Virgie looked, surprised and flushing a little at this invitation. “I was going to ask her myself. This is no place to ask a girl to a party—at the breakfast table before the rest of us are awake!”