ith granny.

It was rather difficult to make her understand about grandmamma's
birthday, I remember, for she could scarcely speak French at all then,
and at last she burst out into English, for she got very interested
about it.

'I'll tell Mrs. Wingfield we have been talking English,' she said, 'and
I'll tell her it was all my fault. But I must understand what you are
saying.'

'It's about grandmamma's birthday,' I said. 'I do so want to make a plan
for it.'

Sharley's eyes sparkled. She loved making plans, and so did Vallie, who
was very quick and bright about everything, while Nan was rather a
sleepy little girl, though exceedingly good-natured. I don't think I
_ever_ knew her speak crossly.

'I heard something about "fete,"' said Sharley, 'about fete and
grandmamma. Why do you call her birthday her "fete"?'

'I didn't,' I replied. '"Fete" doesn't generally mean birthday--it means
something else, something about a saint's day. I said I wanted to
"feter" dear granny on her birthday, and I wondered what I could do.
Last year I worked a little case in that stiff stuff with holes in, to
keep stamps in, and Kezia made tea-cakes. But I can't think of anything
I can work for her this year, and tea-cakes are only tea-cakes,' and I
sighed.

'Don't look so unhappy,' said Sharley, '_we'll_ plan. We're rather short
of plans just now, and we always like to have some on hand for first
thing in the morning--Val and I do at least. Nan never wakes up
properly. Leave it to us, Helena, and the next time we come I'll tell
you what we've thought of.'

I had a good deal of faith in Sharley's cleverness in some things,
already, though I can't say that it shone out in speaking French. So I
promised to wait to see what she and Vallie thought of.

When we went in we told grandmamma that we had been speaking English. I
made it up into very good French, and Sharley said it, which pleased
granny.

'And what was it you were so eager about that you couldn't wait to say
it, or hear it in French?' she asked Sharley.

We had not expected this, and Sharley got rather red.

'It's a secret,' she blurted out.

Grandmamma looked just a little grave.

'I am not very fond of secrets,' she said. 'And Helena has never had
any.'

'Oh yes, I have, grandmamma,' I said. I did not mean to contradict
rudely, and I don't think it sounded like that, though it looks rather
rude written down. 'I had one this time last year--don't you
remember?--abo