"I feel well enough," Dorothy assured her, "and I haven't been worrying—about that any way," and Dorothy smiled to convince her friend that nothing serious was disturbing her peace of mind.
"Well, we assemble at nine you know; check our dinner pails. Thanks Joe, that will do nicely, and if I have any left I will leave it in the box when I return it. After a bluff at study, and an exchange of compliments, for my dress particularly (no one else will have anything like this) we will expect to hear something from you, Doro. Really, this business of making speeches in school is quite an accomplishment. Had I known that Alice was going to 'spout' the way she did that day I left for my vacation—ahem! you noticed Joe, how I said that? Well, I should have postponed the trip had I any idea there would be such stunts going on in lady-like society. But Doro, how is Sarah? Did you see her yesterday?"
"Yes, I saw her just for a moment," and Dorothy looked the other way to hide the serious thoughts that the meeting with Sarah recalled.
"And she has forgiven me for that push into the clouds? Now she is not so bad after all. I feel as if I should bring her some flowers or something; as a peace offering, you know."
"Well, I would not go over just to-day," said Dorothy, "for the doctor is to take the splints off her ankle—"
"Splints? Was it as bad as that? The poor girl, no wonder she—fibbed.
I would too, if I had to stand for splints."
"Why don't you say 'stand splints,' and not use that horrid slang," corrected Dorothy.
"But she didn't stand them, she stood for them, with the other foot. You see, Doro, sometimes the much despised slang is—the real thing," and with a tantalizing swish of her skirts, and a most frivolous toss of her head Tavia called "Ta-ta!" and dashed across the fields with the lunch box under her arm.
"She's the kind of girl!" commented Joe, who had been busy making a bow and arrow for Roger. "If her brother Jack had a little of her spunk he would not be where he is."
"Why?" asked Dorothy, "doesn't Johnnie get along well at school?"