"This is the second public gathering this week," remarked Miriam Nesbit,
who, despite the chatter that was going on around her, had heard Grace's
laughing remark.

"I know it," agreed Grace. "There was just as large a crowd here when
Nora and Jessica went away last Monday. Doesn't it seem dreadful that we
are obliged to be separated? How I hated to see the girls go. And we
won't be together again until Christmas."

"Oh, here come the boys!" announced Eva Allen, who, with Marian Barber,
had been standing a little to one side of the three girls.

At this juncture four smiling young men hurried through the crowd of
young people and straight to the circle surrounding the three girls,
where they were received with cries of: "We were afraid you'd be too
late!" and, "Why didn't you get here earlier?"

"We're awfully sorry!" exclaimed David Nesbit. "We had to wait for
Hippy. He overslept as usual. We threw as much as a shovelful of
gravel against his window, but he never stirred. Finally we had to waken
his family and it took all of them to waken him."

"Don't you believe what David Nesbit says," retorted Hippy. "Do you
suppose I slept a wink last night knowing that the friends of my youth
were about to leave me?" Hippy sniffed dolefully and buried his face in
his handkerchief.

"Now, now, Hippy," protested Miriam. "If you insist on shedding
crocodile tears, although I don't believe you could be sad long enough
to shed even that kind, we shall feel that you are glad to get rid of