CHAPTER XI
THOSE “UNINTERESTED” PARENTS
“Girls,” said the president of the seven sibyls impressively, “do you realize that it is too late for us to make any money to amount to anything this year? I mean the school year, of course. The Black Wizards have to make some; Billy told me, and you and I know what for, or we haven’t had much trouble in making a pretty good guess. One of the church societies is selling that candy we thought we could get hold of. Our fudge goes off like hot cakes when we make any, but school is nearly out and I’m proud to think that every one of the S. P.’s gets out of finals, and that in spite of our new club and all our doings!”
“We had our scholarship up all the year before,” remarked Phoebe.
“Phoebe is nothing, if not frank,” laughed Bess.
“Traitoress!” hissed Fran, in such good imitation of a reading which they had recently heard at school that they all applauded but Phoebe, who declared that she thought the truth might just as well be acknowledged. “I couldn’t have brought up any low grades while we were doing all the extra things and taking the early hikes and all.”
“No, neither could I, Phoebe, you’re right,” said Jean. “All of which goes to prove——”
“‘That music is both elevating and refining’.”
“Stop your nonsense, Phoebe! I’m trying to get something across.”
“Oh. Sorry, Madame President. The subject was making money, I remember.”
“Exactly. The time has come to call on our worthy parents with the request that they will advance the money for a tent and let us go camping as soon as school is out. We have enough money in the treasury for the books we positively have to have or think we have to have, as my father says, so that’s all right, and we can have a real campaign in the fall. Nan’s father says that we ought to start one for a real good school library, since we are interested in books. He thinks that we could get some good gifts from the people around town and that perhaps we could stir the school board up to do something, maybe get the people to vote them more money for it, though taxes are bad enough as it is, he says.”