Nobody knew whether Horace cried or not, for nobody saw him till dinner time, but then he looked very sober indeed. He and Grasshopper had been building a fort, he said; and after he had told so much, he seemed not to care about talking. He felt captain of a little company, and such a brave soldier that he would not even say he felt sorry Prudy was gone.
Grace talked a great deal about Susy, and asked her mamma if she might not invite her to go out West some time.
Mrs. Clifford said she should be very glad, indeed, to have a visit from both the children, and who knew but it might happen so? for Mr. Parlin, Susy's father, often took journeys out West on business.
This idea struck Grace very pleasantly, and she had a strong hope of the visit in a minute. In two minutes she had a firm belief in it; and the last we see of Grace and Horace in this book, they are sitting on the piazza, eagerly talking about the next winter, when they shall both go to the cars to meet uncle Edward and the children.
"They'll be there my birthday—what'll you bet?" said Horace.
"I shall wear my tippet when we go to the depot, and have a new hood," said Grace. "I don't know what my dress will be, though."
"I'll make a bow-arrow, and a gun, and a steamboat for Prudy."
"And I'll give Susy my large doll, and make a blue dress for it, with flowing sleeves. She shall put all her things into my cabinet."
"What'll we have to eat? Pecans, and 'simmons, and raisins, and figs."
"O, we shall have plenty to eat, Horace, we always do. We'll give 'em canned peaches with cream. Susy likes cream as well as a cat."