They drilled every afternoon during the following week. Phoebe finished the caps and supplied sashes to those children who were unable to get them at home. Becky wheedled Aunt Hyacinth, the black mammy who had been with the Darings all their lives, into making a hundred cookies one day and a hundred fried cakes the next, and with these the girls served lemonade to the Club. Wednesday afternoon Doris again supplied the refreshments and on Thursday Cousin Judith furnished ice cream for the whole assemblage. Janet Ferguson, whose interest had been aroused by the unique idea of the Toby Clark Marching Club, provided the refreshments for Friday, and Saturday was to be the day of the first great parade.
But before this the Marching Club received its greatest surprise, resulting in its greatest impetus. On Thursday Doris Randolph came running over to the Daring place breathless with excitement and waving a letter as she met Becky and Don.
“Oh, dear!” she gasped; “what do you suppose has happened?”
“The North Star has gone south,” answered Becky, laughing.
“No; it’s something great—wonderful,” said Doris. “Just listen to this letter; the postman brought it a minute ago.”
She opened the letter with fluttering fingers and read as follows:
“Miss Doris Randolph,
Treasurer of the Toby Clark Marching Club:
“We beg to inform you that one of our customers, who wishes to remain unknown, has placed to your credit in Spaythe’s Bank the sum of Fifty Dollars, to be used for the promotion of the Club as its officers deem best. Very respectfully,
Spaythe’s Bank,
by Eric Spaythe, Cashier.”
“Well, for goodness sake!” exclaimed Becky. “Fifty dollars! Who do you s’pose sent it, Doris?”
“I don’t know any more than the letter tells us; but what in the world will we do with all that money?”
“I know,” said Don, so astonished that he had been speechless until now; “we’ll hire the Riverdale Cornet Band for Saturday.”