human
Only two days more until Uncle Cliff comes, now, Joy, she said, tearing a leaf off from the calendar.
gpt
Seems to me I just can't wait. I never was so anxious to see him in my life.
human
It will be lovely, she said.
gpt
And you have planned so many things to do, Blue Bonnet. I've been wondering if your uncle will wish to keep all these engagements.
human
You don't know Uncle Cliff, she said gaily.
gpt
He'll have the time of his life. He wrote me that three days were at my disposal; to fill them any way I chose. Want to hear the program?
human
Love to,
gpt
Well, Uncle Cliff gets here the morning of the first; that's Friday.
human
Arrives at eight-fifteen. That ought to get him up here about nine, at the very latest.
gpt
Oh, let the poor man get his breakfast first.
human
He'll have that on the train, thank you. Then let me see; yes--here: Nine o'clock, visit with Uncle Cliff. Ten, shopping. Eleven o'clock, hospital. I have a little plan about that. One, luncheon. Two o'clock, matinee--or something; haven't planned that yet. Five, meet Aunt Lucinda and the girls from Woodford. Eight, theatre--
gpt
Mercy, Blue Bonnet, what a mad scramble! And after a five days' journey across the continent I should think your uncle would be dead!
human
I hadn't thought of that, Blue Bonnet said, contritely.
gpt
Perhaps we _had_ better cut out the matinee. I shouldn't wonder if we had. It would be hard on Grandmother, too. But you have to do a lot, Joy! Three days slip away before you know it. Now that brings us up to Saturday, doesn't it? Saturday; let me see. Here it is! Saturday, A. M.: Nine o'clock, shopping. Have a little plan about that, too, if Uncle Cliff's willing; know he will be. One, lunch. Two, motor ride. Six o'clock, dinner for the Lambs and the We Are Sevens. You're in on that, too, Joy; you and Mrs. White. Eight, theatre. Sunday. Eleven o'clock, church at Trinity; hope the Bishop preaches. Two o'clock, visit with relatives. Seven, tea--at relatives, probably. Monday morning--Woodford. Sounds fascinating, doesn't it?
human
Alluring, Blue Bonnet. I hope you'll have a happy time.
gpt
I shall, I'm sure, Joy. I've got to run up-stairs now a minute to talk things over with Carita. Carita goes with me to Woodford for the rest of the vacation.
human
Begins to look like a holiday, Blue Bonnet thought as she went through the halls and noticed the trunks at each door.
gpt
Wonder if Carita is packing.
human
What's the matter, Carita?
gpt
Nothing.
human
Nothing? You look as if you had the blues.
gpt
No--only--
human
Only what?
gpt
Only what, dear?
human
I reckon it's just a touch of homesickness. It's seeing the girls packing to go home. I want so to see mother--and Baby Joe. They says he's so darling now. Oh, my arms just ache to hold him sometimes, Blue Bonnet--and--and--Texas is so far away, isn't it?
gpt
There! there! she said.
human
Just think what a good time we're going to have with Uncle Cliff; and it's only a little while until the tenth of June. Why, the time will just fly after Easter, and--oh, my dear, be thankful that you have a mother to go to--suppose--
gpt
How selfish I am, she said, between sobs.
human
I didn't think, Blue Bonnet--really, I didn't.
gpt
Of course you didn't. And I didn't mean to remind you; it just slipped out. Sometimes it does, when I see girls crying for their mothers and I remember that I shall--never--have mine. Now, don't cry--please don't. Where's Mary?
human
She and Peg--Jerusha Austin are down in the office. Fraulein is after them again. Last night, when the trunks were brought up, Mary and Peggy waited until the lights were out and then they fixed up a tick-tack. They hid in the trunks and worked the thing for almost an hour. It was awfully spooky--nearly scared Fraulein to death. She's just furious at both of them.
gpt
How did she find them?
human
Oh, Mary got the giggles! Mary would laugh at her own funeral. Peggy was so cross at her. Fraulein traced the giggles to Mary's trunk.
gpt
What did you get this time, Mary?
human
You talk as if I'd been sentenced,
gpt
Weren't you?
human
No, not this time. Miss North was so disgusted she didn't do a thing. She made us feel as if we were infants; said she thought smothering in a trunk for an hour was punishment enough for anybody. She just talked!
gpt
And--_talked_!
human
She said that we'd so wrecked Fraulein's nerves--Peg and I--that Fraulein was leaving the school--wasn't coming back after Easter.
gpt
Really? Is that true, Peggy?
human
That we've wrecked her nerves? Hardly. That's just letting her down easy. Miss North's dead tired of her, herself.
gpt
Who's going to take her place?
human
Miss North didn't take us into her confidence, Mary said flippantly.
gpt
But I shouldn't wonder if Joy Cross substituted until they get somebody. Joy's a whiz in German. She's had us two or three times lately when Fraulein was having one of her tantrums--beg pardon, nervous break-ups.
human
Wait a minute, Blue Bonnet, Carita said.
gpt
I've some news for you. What do you think! Knight Judson's coming to Boston; my cousin, you know. He's coming with your Uncle Cliff. I've just had a letter.
human
Knight Judson! What for?
gpt
He's always wanted to come, and now he has the opportunity. He's been wild to study engineering, saved his money for it for a long time. Well--he had a chance to come on and do a little work at the Massachusetts Tech. It's awfully late in the year, of course, to enter, but he wants to look up a lot of things and be ready to start in the fall. I'm so anxious to see him. He'll have so much news from home.
human
And Sandy? Why didn't he come, too?
gpt
He will, next year.
human
It will be fine to see Knight again, Blue Bonnet said.
gpt
Alec will be delighted to know he's coming. They were great friends in Texas.
human
Yes, Knight is going to Washington first, then on to Woodford for a few days, with Alec.
gpt
How splendid! Oh, Carita, everything is going so beautifully that it almost makes me afraid. I feel as if the fairies had given me three wishes and they had all come true. I don't know whether I can walk down-stairs or not. I feel like taking a flying leap.
human
Take the banister, Mary suggested.
gpt
It's safer, and heaps more fun. I tried it yesterday.
human
Fortunate you didn't run into any one,
gpt
But I did! A nice lady who was trying to find Madam de Cartier. We fell--all in a heap!
human
Even the weather is on my side, Blue Bonnet said.
gpt
I ought to be the very happiest girl in the world--and I am!