"And that means we won't hear the surprise for ever so long," said Mollie. "Go on, Bet, tell us, and we'll retail it to Grace when she comes. That will get rid of your objection," and Mollie tucked back several locks of her pretty hair that had strayed loose when the vigorous hammock-action took place.
"No, I'd rather tell it to you all together," insisted Betty, with a shake of her head. "It wouldn't be fair to Grace to tell it to you two first. We'll wait."
"I'll go in and ask her to hurry," ventured Amy. She was always willing to do what she could to promote peace, harmony, and general good feeling. If ever anyone wanted anything done, Amy was generally the first to volunteer.
"There's no great hurry," said Betty, "though from the way I rushed over here you might think so. But really, it is the grandest thing! Oh, girls, such a time as may be ahead of us this summer!" and she pretended to hug herself in delight.
"Betty Nelson, you've just got to tell us!" insisted Mollie. "Look out, Amy, I'm going to get up."
Getting up from a hammock—or doing anything vigorous, for that matter—was always a serious business with quick Mollie. She gener-
