"Take Mary Jane too?" asked Mrs. Merrill thoughtfully. "Why, yes, I guess
we could. I'll tell you what we will do, girls. We'll watch and wait and
see what the weather is by Friday noon. If it continues fine and warm for
two days, as it is to-day, I really believe we could have a picnic. Of
course the girls understand that it would be a 'start in the morning'
picnic? It's too early in the season for late afternoon picnics."

Alice assured her that a morning picnic was just what they all wanted. "You
see, mother," she added, "Sunday is Miss Heath's birthday" (Miss Heath was
the girls' teacher) "and we want to fix a big basket of flowers to give
her."

Never was the weather watched more closely than it was those two days. The
girls at school talked of nothing but the hoped-for picnic and the minute
Alice came into the house she had something to say about it. Mary Jane, for
her part, thought she simply _could_ not wait till the promised day came.
She sewed on her cards, she watered her garden and watched for the first
bits of green, and she played with her dolls, but with all those nice
things to do, the days seemed to drag by so slowly.

But at last Friday noon came. Alice rushed home from school to announce
what every one knew already--that the sky was clear, the air warm, and they
could surely have the picnic.

Mother met her at the door as she hurried up the walk.

"I did hope you'd come promptly," she said. "Mary Jane and I have lunch on
the table ready to eat and we want you to hurry and help us plan the picnic
eats."