"Oh, goody; I hope she'll let me come."

     "Well, she will. The picnic's for me. She'll let anybody come that I want, and I want you."

     "That's ever so nice. When is it going to be?"

     "By and by. Maybe about vacation."

     "Oh, won't it be fun! You going to have all the girls and boys?"

     "Yes, every one that's friends to me--or wants to be"; and she glanced ever so furtively at Tom, but he talked right along to Amy Lawrence about the terrible storm on the island, and how the lightning tore the great sycamore tree "all to flinders" while he was "standing within three feet of it."

     "Oh, may I come?" said Grace Miller.

     "Yes."

     "And me?" said Sally Rogers.

     "Yes."

     "And me, too?" said Susy Harper. "And Joe?"