This time Connie peered more carefully at the handwriting on the white block.
“‘Ella Hooper,’” she corrected. “Hooper—Veve, do you suppose—?”
“Ella Hooper was Pa Hooper’s sister!”
The girls were delighted by their discovery. Leaving Miss Gordon and Sunny Davidson in charge of the booth, they dashed off to see if they could find Mr. Hooper anywhere in the crowd.
Finally, they located him at one of the stands, eating a ham sandwich, and drinking coffee.
“Oh, Mr. Hooper, come with us!” Veve urged the orchard owner.
Mr. Hooper put down his cup of coffee. “What’s this?” he asked in surprise.
“We want you to see my autograph quilt!” Veve said, tugging at his hand.
“Now you know I’m no judge of quilts,” Mr. Hooper protested, holding back.
“Oh, we don’t want you to judge one,” Connie interposed. “We want you just to see a name on it.”