Part 49 (1/2)

Blue Bonnet rose to go.

”Wait a minute, Blue Bonnet,” Carita said. ”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.”

”Knight Judson! What for?”

”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 Ma.s.sachusetts 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.”

”And Sandy? Why didn't he come, too?”

”He will, next year.”

”It will be fine to see Knight again,” Blue Bonnet said. ”Alec will be delighted to know he's coming. They were great friends in Texas.”

”Yes, Knight is going to Was.h.i.+ngton first, then on to Woodford for a few days, with Alec.”

”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.”

”Take the banister,” Mary suggested. ”It's safer, and heaps more fun. I tried it yesterday.”

Blue Bonnet looked properly shocked.

”Fortunate you didn't run into any one,” she remarked.

”But I did! A nice lady who was trying to find Madam de Cartier. We fell--all in a heap!”

The morning of the first of April broke clear and calm.

”Even the weather is on my side,” Blue Bonnet said. ”I ought to be the very happiest girl in the world--and I am!”

It was a busy time at the school; a general breaking up for spring vacation. In the halls girls scurried in every direction and hasty good-bys were said; trunks were carried out noisily by careless expressmen to the vans that stood waiting outside.

”Terribly exciting, isn't it?” Sue said, pa.s.sing Blue Bonnet in the hall shortly after breakfast. ”I'm so glad Annabel and I are staying over until Monday. Has your uncle arrived yet?”

”I'm just watching for him. He should be here in about ten minutes. I'm keeping my eye on the front door--oh, Sue, there's a ring now; perhaps it's he! It is! It is!”

And the next moment Blue Bonnet was folded in her uncle's arms.

”Uncle Cliff! dear Uncle Cliff!” she cried, rapturously, while she led him toward the reception-room, holding to his arm tightly as if by some chance he might escape. ”How ever did you get up here so soon? It's only a quarter to nine, now.”

”Taxi, Honey. And the train was on time, fortunately. Come over to the light and let me have a look at you. Why, child, how you have grown! And what's this--long dresses! Honey, Honey, where's Uncle Cliff's little girl?”

There was a note in the man's voice that struck deep at the girl's heart.

”Here she is,” she cried, snuggling into the warm embrace again. ”She'll never be anything but a little girl to you--never! That's proper length--just a speck below my shoe-tops. Will you sit here a minute while I find Carita? Poor Carita has been a little homesick the last few days. It's seeing the girls start for home, I reckon.”

She was away in a trice, bringing back Carita, who welcomed Uncle Cliff with almost as much enthusiasm as Blue Bonnet had.