"You'd better call me Brown Walcott," said Gay. "That's what the fellows in New York call me—my twin sister is called Brownie."
The boys looked at one another sheepishly; they didn't know what to say.
"Well, we will call you Miss—Brown," faltered Lyman Carver at length.
"Drop the Miss," said Gay.
"All right, we will. We can drop her easier than we can beat her in any other way!" said Will Babbitt.
This speech which everybody applauded—save Gay, who refrained through a delicate sense of modesty—immediately established a feeling of good fellowship.
"I promised to come right back," said Gay. "Walk along with me, won't you? It seems mighty good to see some fellows once more."
The boys stared. This was the most extraordinary girl! There was no resisting her pleasant manner, however, and they were soon walking along together, all talking merrily.
"Oh," cried Gay, suddenly, when they were outside the gate at Rose Cottage, "I'm going to have some kind of a time to-morrow afternoon at five o'clock; my aunt said so to-day. I wish you'd come."