h, don't look so dismal, all of you."

"It's hard to be cheerful when everybody's going away," sighed Cecily.

"Well, let's pretend to be, anyway," insisted the Story Girl. "Don't
let's think of parting. Let's think instead of how much we've laughed
this last year or so. I'm sure I shall never forget this dear old place.
We've had so many good times here."

"And some bad times, too," reminded Felix.

"Remember when Dan et the bad berries last summer?"

"And the time we were so scared over that bell ringing in the house,"
grinned Peter.

"And the Judgment Day," added Dan.

"And the time Paddy was bewitched," suggested Sara Ray.

"And when Peter was dying of the measles," said Felicity.

"And the time Jimmy Patterson was lost," said Dan. "Gee-whiz, but that
scared me out of a year's growth."

"Do you remember the time we took the magic seed," grinned Peter.

"Weren't we silly?" said Felicity. "I really can never look Billy
Robinson in the face when I meet him. I'm always sure he's laughing at
me in his sleeve."

"It's Billy Robinson who ought to be ashamed when he meets you or any of
us," commented Cecily severely. "I'd rather be cheated than cheat other
people."

"Do you mind the time we bought God's picture?" asked Peter.

"I wonder if it's where we buried it yet," speculated Felix.

"I put a stone over it, just as we did over Pat," said Cecily.

"I wish I could forget what God looks like," sighed Sara Ray. "I can't
forget it--and I can't forget what the bad place is like either, ever
since Peter preached that sermon on it."

"When you get to be a real minister you'll have to preach that sermon
over again, Peter," grinned Dan.

"My Aunt Jane used to say that people needed a sermon on that place once
in a while," retorted Peter seriously.

"Do you mind the night I et the cucumbers and milk to make me dream?"
said Cecily.

And therewith we hunted out our old dream books to read them again, and,
forgetful of coming partings, laughed over them till the old orchard
echoed to our mirth. When we had finished we stood in a circle around
the well and pledged "eternal friendship" in a cup of its unrivalled
water.

Then we joined hands and sang "Auld Lang Syne." Sara Ray cried bitterly
in lieu of singing.

"Look here," said the Story Girl, as we turned to leave the old orchard,
"I want to ask a favour of you all. Don't say good-bye to me tomorrow
morning."

"Why not?" demanded Felicity in astonishment