“It’s splendid, Nelly; I’ll show it to mother as soon as I get home.”
The next day came. The skies were clear, but the wind was high, and swayed the branches of the trees around the farm-house, and swept the long, wet grass to and fro.
“Is it going to storm?” asked Nelly, anxiously, of Martin, as immediately after breakfast they stood together in the door-way and looked forth.
“No,” said Martin; “I think it will not storm, but the breeze will be a pretty stiff one all day. Perhaps Miss Milly will postpone the picnic.”
“Oh, dear!” cried Nelly; “I hope not. What! put it off after Comfort has baked us that great, bouncing sponge-cake, Martin?”
Martin was going too, for Miss Milly had sent him an invitation, and Mr. Brooks had granted him, very willingly, a holiday. He had only to help milk the cows early in the morning, and then he was free to follow his pleasure till sundown. He was dressed now in his Sunday suit; his hair was combed smoothly over his forehead, and his best cloth cap was in his hands. Altogether he looked so tidy, so good, so happy, that when Mr. Brooks came in the room, he asked Comfort, with a smile, if she didn’t think a lad of about the age of Martin ought to have at least a dime of spending money, when he went to picnics. On Comfort’s saying heartily, without taking one single instant for reflection, “Yes, Sir,” the farmer put his hand in his pocket, drew out a new and bright quarter of a dollar, and dropped it in Martin’s cap. Martin tried to return it, but Mr. Brooks would not hear to any such thing, but shouldered his hoe and went off, whistling, into the garden.
“I’ll tell you what to do with it,” said Nelly, in a confidential whisper; “buy round hearts; they’re four for a penny. Only think of four times twenty-five round hearts! How much is that, Martin?”
Martin laughed, and said he guessed he would not invest in round hearts, for Comfort’s cake was so large.
“So monstrous large,” put in Nelly, dividing a glance of affection between Comfort and the cake.
“Yes,” continued Martin; “it is so monstrous that it ought to last, at least, two whole days.”