"Yes, I will," promised Luretta; but she began to wish that she had not
suggested such a thing. If Danna was going to be exactly like Melvina
Lyon, thought Luretta, a rabbit would not receive much attention.

Rebecca was sitting on the front step busy with her knitting as the two
little girls came up the path. It was her birthday, but so far no one
had seemed to remember it. The _Polly_ had not reached port, so the fine
present she had been promised could not be expected. But Rebecca was
surprised and disappointed that everyone had seemed to forget that she
was fourteen on the tenth of May. But as she looked up and saw Anna
dressed in her best, and Luretta beside her, coming up the path, Rebby's
face brightened. "I do believe Mother has planned a surprise for me,"
she thought happily. "Oh, there comes Lucia! Now I am sure that Mother
has asked her to come, and perhaps some of the other girls," and Rebecca
put down her knitting and stood up, smiling at the girls expectantly,
for she was quite sure that their first words would be a birthday
greeting.

At that moment Mrs. Weston, busy in her kitchen, remembered suddenly
that it was September tenth. "My Rebby's birthday! And, with my mind
full of all the worry about being shut off from the world by British
cruisers, and provisions growing so scarce, I had forgotten," and Mrs.
Weston left her work and reached the front door just as Rebecca rose to
her feet to greet her friends.

"Fourteen to-day, Rebby dear," said Mrs. Weston, putting her arm about
her tall daughter and kissing Rebecca.

At the same moment, hearing her mother's words, Anna ran forward calling
out: "Rebby is fourteen to-day."

Luretta and Lucia were close behind her, and Rebecca found herself the
centre of a smiling happy group, and for the moment quite forgot that
she must do without the present from Boston that her father had promised
her.

CHAPTER VI

LUCIA HAS A PLAN

"I have brought you a birthday gift, Rebby," said Lucia, who had been
looking forward all day to the moment when she could give her friend the
small package that she now handed her.

Rebecca received it smilingly, and quickly unwound the white tissue
paper in which it was wrapped, showing a flat white box. Inside this box
lay a pair of white silk mitts.

Rebecca looked at them admiringly, and even Mrs. Weston declared that
very few girls could hope for a daintie