"Laurel Hall forever!" responded Jo, a lilt in her voice. "And I've got a new tennis racket, Sade! Make believe I won't wallop everybody in sight!"
"Except Nan," said Sadie.
"Maybe—except Nan," Jo conceded. "See you to-morrow, Sade. Nine o'clock, sharp!"
The girls were ready at considerably before nine o'clock the following morning. Although each solemnly declared that she had not slept at all, the honest fact was that they had slept uncommonly well and had only been aroused to the important facts of the day by the insistent ringing of three alarm clocks set at three respective bedsides.
Be that as it may, the fact remains that they were all ready with grips packed and hats on, a full half hour before it was time to start for the station.
"We may as well go anyway," Nan argued, as they met on the Morleys' porch. "The train might be early, you know. And suppose we should miss it?"
They all agreed that this would be nothing short of tragic.
"Dad will take us down," said Sadie. "See, he's backing the car out of the garage now."
So the girls and their baggage and Mr. and Mrs. Morley piled into the Appleby auto—which was considerably crowded when they were all accommodated—and started off at a great pace for the station.
"Off at last!" cried Nan. "Girls, I'd begun to think this moment never would come!"