Such romps and frolics as they had with the little boarders; and when noontime came, a picnic luncheon was served under the trees.
To the great joy of the other three, Mother Madeline thought Jack was the only one who needed an afternoon nap; and as he was already half asleep, he went willingly into the house with Aunt Mandy. Then Sister Austin asked help to unpack school supplies; and trip after trip the children made, carrying boxes of chalk, pencils, and erasers, and packages of paper from the packing-box at the side door to the big press at the end of the hall. At first, Berta, Beth, and Dick walked very carefully on the polished floor; but it was not long before they followed the example of the other children, who made the return trips with a run and a long slide. When the packing-case was empty. Sister Austin opened a box of pencils, which she had laid aside on the window sill, and let the children take their choice. Dick spied a red, white, and blue striped one with a little gilt eagle instead of an eraser; and to keep from seizing it, he had to slip out of his place and go to the end of the line and say over and over to himself, "Ladies first. Father always says, 'Ladies first!'" His heart sank when one of the little girls picked it up; but she saw a bright green one with an emerald at the end of it, which she liked better. The little fellow's sigh of relief was not lost on Sister Austin, who had noticed him changing his place in the line. He felt safe now, for all but the twins had chosen, and he was sure that Berta would take a red pencil, and Beth a blue one. At last the striped one was safe in his little brown fist; and Sister Austin gave him a pat on the head and let him choose a pencil for Jack.
"Now, I shall put these that are left into the press and lock the doors until Monday. What a busy time we shall have down here that day!"
"Sister, please tell me the name of this beauty red stone in my pencil?"
"That is a make believe ruby, Berta, and Beth's is a sapphire."
"Oh, oh! Please, Sister, is they any other blue pencils in the box, or a white one?"
"Why, yes, Beth, here is a pale blue one with a turquoise in it."
"I think that's ever so much more beauty than this one; doesn't you, Sister?"
"I prefer the sapphire myself, Beth, but there is no reason why you may not have this other one."
"Beth doesn't like nennything with fire in it so very well, Sister, and I doesn't, too; and that's why she likes the turkey pencil best of all."