"I don't believe so," and Dolly looked very dubious. "Tell me more
about it."

"Oh, Doll, it's just gorgeous!" broke in Bernice. "Uncle Jeff,--he's
father's brother,--wants me to spend a week with him. And he's going
to have my cousin, Alicia, there at the same time. And he wants us to
bring two other girls, and Alicia can't bring one, 'cause she's at
boarding school, and none of the girls can get leave,--that is, none
that she wants. So Uncle said for me to get two, if I could,--and I
want you and Dot."

"A whole week in New York! Visiting!" Dolly's eyes sparkled as the
truth began to dawn on her. "Oh, I WISH I could coax Mother into it.
I've never been to New York to stay any time. Only just for the day.
How lovely of you, Bernie, to ask us!"

"There's no one else I'd rather have, but if you can't go, I'll have
to ask Maisie May. I must get two."

"Are you going anyway, Dots?"

"I don't know. I want to go terribly, but I don't want to go without
you, Dolly. Oh, WON'T your mother let you?"

"The only way to find out is to ask her," said Mr. Forbes, smiling.
"Suppose I go over there now and ask. Shall I go alone, or take you
three chatterboxes along?"

"Oh, let us go," and Dotty sprang up; "we can coax and you can tell