“Yes, I suppose so,” said Lulu, looking somewhat disappointed; “but there will probably be other times when you can go,” she added, brightening up.
At that moment Grace looked in at the door with an announcement: “Grandma Elsie, Grandpa Dinsmore, and Cousin Ronald are in the veranda, talking with papa and mamma.”
“And are we invited to join the conference?” queried Rosie in a merry, jesting tone.
“I don’t think it’s a secret conference,” replied Grace, “and I suppose we can all join it if we want to.”
“I should like to do so if I could leave my work,” Marian said, “but I must stay and attend to it unless they say I am wanted for some particular reason.”
“In that case we’ll let you know, Marian,” said Lulu as she and the others hastened from the room together.
They found the older people arranging plans for attending the Annapolis and Princeton commencements; it was already decided that to the first all would go from Woodburn and Ion who cared to, some of them by rail, the others in the Dolphin, then Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore and Grandma Elsie to the other; and also, before returning, they would spend some weeks in visiting friends and relatives in and about Philadelphia.
The young folks listened quietly but with intense interest, now and then exchanging glances which told plainly how delighted they were with the prospect of having a share in the expedition to Annapolis; even Grace, who usually thought home the most desirable place for her, being no exception.