All eyes looked down at the floor but saw nothing beside the braided mat. Miss Miller smiled and ran down-stairs without vouchsafing an explanation.
"Miss Miller certainly does puzzle me until she deigns to explain—then it all seems plain as day!" said Hilda.
But further talk was interrupted by a delighted cry from the front porch. The five girls hurried down and joined their teacher on the porch.
"Why—strawberries! How did they get here?" cried some of the girls.
"A note on top of one box said that Mrs. Sherwood sent them over for our breakfast—if we had not finished already!" laughed Miss Miller, looking at her watch.
"It must be almost eight o'clock!" ventured Nita.
"No, it is five to six!" replied Miss Miller.
"Six—why it feels like noon!" said Jane.
"That's because the air is so invigorating," returned Zan. "We always have to get up early in the country, and that gives you such a long, long day to enjoy!"