No, we’ll do as much as we can before dark and have everything all ready to put together and leave as soon as you get back from the station. It doesn’t take long to put that trunk on the back of the car, does it?”

“Trunk’s already on,” said Jeremy laconically. “The car’s away back in the garage behind my runabout.”

“Well, but won’t the servants see the trunk on when you take them to the station?”

“No, for I’m taking Cook in my runabout, so she won’t even know we are thinking about the other car. And as for Letty, she fell all over her tongue just now telling me her young man was calling for her at six thirty, so she’ll be out of the way, and we haven’t that to consider.”

“Jerry,” said Jennifer, with a grave sweet look of appreciation. “I really begin to think you are almost more grown-up than I am, and certainly much more thoughtful!”

“Thanks awfully, sister; I’d have to be going some to catch up with your class. The way you’ve managed this servant question, and the matter of finances, can’t be beat! There! I hear Robin calling. Can’t you get him out and let him run a little so he won’t get restless tonight?”

“Yes, I’m going to send them all out to the playground.”

Jennifer hurried to Robin.

“Just sit still till I get Karen ready,” she said, “and then you two can go out and play hide-and-seek.”

Robin smiled sweetly.

“Awright!” he said contentedly. “I wike you better’n my nurse!” he vouchsafed irreverently.

“That’s nice,” said Jennifer and stepped into Karen’s room, for she could hear her stirring now.

“Now, Karen, get up and get into your play clothes. You and Robin are going out to the playground and have a lovely time until I call you in to dinner. Be quick about dressing. Robin is waiting for you.”

“Okay!” said Karen, springing up. “I don’t have to wait for that old nurse, do I? I like to dress myself.”

“Don’t you like the nurse, either?” said Jennifer.

“I sure do not,” said the little girl. “She never lets me do a thing. She says I don’t know how, and I like to dress myself!”

“Well, don’t be long. I want you to get out before the sunshine is all gone and have a good time running in the fresh air.”

“And are we going to do something after dinner, too? We don’t have to go right to bed again, do we?”

“Not right away,” said the sister. “I guess we’ll have a nice time after dinner, if you are all good.”

“Oh, we’ll be good!” promised the young cherub.

In the next room Heather and Hazel were both wide eyed.

“We don’t have to stay here in bed any longer, do we?” pleaded Heather. “I certainly am sick of lying still.”

“Come over here on Hazel’s bed,” said Jennifer in a low voice. “I want to tell you something.”

Heather sprang up and snuggled in beside her sister. Jennifer sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Now,” she said in almost a whisper, “I’m going to take you both into my confidence.”

“Well, it’s about time,” said Hazel. “I think I at least ought to understand.” But their heads were snuggled closer and two pairs of eager eyes were fixed on her face.

“Now listen, girls, you’re not to tell a soul anything about this. It’s a secret. We’re going away tonight after dinner, after Maggie and Letty are gone.”

“Forever?” asked Hazel, aghast, her eyes casting a quick fond glance around her room.

“Oh, no!” assured Jennifer. “But I’ve told the servants we have been invited out for tonight¾we were, you know, to several places¾and I thought we might be away for a little while.”

“But, Jennifer!” said Heather, aghast. “We aren’t going to any of the aunts, are we? Oh, please Jennifer, not to the aunts! They’ll separate us! I know they will! And you promised we shouldn’t be separated!”

Then suddenly Jennifer, to her amazement, found that both the girls were crying. Her heart went out to them with a quick warm love of which she had never been so conscious before. She came closer and enfolded them in a sudden big hug and kissed one tear-wet face and then the other.

“No, no, no! You dear things! Of course you shan’t be separated! Didn’t I promise you? That’s what we’re going away for, so they can’t separate us. You know I’m not of age yet, and if we stayed here they would say I wasn’t old enough to manage things, and they would all jump in with both feet and make an awful time for us, so we’re not going to give them the chance. Now, will you sit up and mop up your faces and get to work? We’ve a lot to do, and we haven’t time to talk about it, or even to think about it. Do you think you both are grown-up enough and have strength of mind enough to put this out of your thoughts entirely and work like lightning? I want thoughtful work, too, the kind that doesn’t have to be done over and checked up on afterwards. Can you do it?”

Two bright faces were suddenly lifted with hope shining like a rainbow behind the shed tears.

“We can! We can!” they cried.