"Now, Madge Parlin, I only said she kept her hair smoother; that's all I said."
"Well, there's Abby Gray and Sallie Gordon," added I, well pleased to watch the drooping of my little friend's mouth. "You can play with them while I'm gone. And there's your own brother Gust, that you think's so much politer 'n Ned."
"You know there's nobody I like to play with so well as I do you," said Fel, laying her cheek against mine, and we sat a while, thinking how dearly we did love each other. Then we saw Abner wheeling the chaise out of the barn. I ran down the steps from the tree, and asked,—
"Is anybody going anywhere, Abner?"
"Well, yes; I believe your pa's going over yonder," said he, pointing off to the hills.
"Anybody—anybody going with him?"
"He talks of taking the Deacon," said Abner, dryly, as he began to wrench off the wheels, and grease them.
"Madge, Madge, where are you?" called 'Ria, from the side door. "Come into the house; I have something to tell you."
It was just as I expected. I was going to Bloomingdale to-morrow. The news had been kept from me till the last possible moment, for when I was excited about anything, I was noisier than ever, and as Ruthie said, "stirred up the house dreadfully."
Next morning father tucked me into the chaise, behind old Deacon. I didn't know why it was, but I couldn't help thinking about the hatchet, and wondering mother should have taken so much pains to get such a naughty girl ready. I had been told I might stay till after apple-gathering, and I was glad, for I wanted to make Fel as lonesome as she had made me those two weeks she spent in Boston. I had never been away from home but twice to stay over night, and my playmates couldn't any of them know my true value, of course.