"Oh, goody!" exclaimed Alice and she threw down her hat and sweater and
slipped into her seat at the table.

With the help of father and Mary Jane, the picnic dinner was planned. Each
girl was to take a basket containing her own sandwiches, a paper plate, a
knife, fork and spoon and cup; and then one more thing to eat--and enough
of that one thing for everybody. There was to be cake, and cheese and
pickles and fruit and eggs and many good things.

"And will Mary Jane take a basket?" asked Alice.

"Indeed she will," replied Mrs. Merrill, "and it will have something good
in it, you can count on that."

"Oh, what will it be?" asked Alice eagerly.

"It will be a surprise," said Mrs. Merrill, laughing. "No, there's no use
asking, it's a surprise! Now you run along so as to give these slips of
instructions to each girl before school begins." And not another word would
she say.

After Alice was safely out of the house, Mary Jane and her mother had a
good laugh over their surprise.

"Won't she be pleased?" said Mary Jane happily.

"And won't she be surprised!" exclaimed Mrs. Merrill. "I thought surely she
would ask to take some and then she might have guessed! Now, dear, you help
me clear up this lunch table, then you run upstairs and take your rest