That's over at last! Did you ever live through such a long day?" asked
Nan, as she put away her books and took her coat from the form. "Now for
Mrs. Bragley."

"But first," said Bess, snatching up a small bonbon dish from the table,
"we've got to have funds, and 'the collection will now be taken.' My,
but you girls are generous!" she exclaimed exultantly, after she had
counted up the donations. "Mrs. Bragley is going to have _some_ spread!"

The committee of three went around by way of the town in order to
purchase materials for the surprise spread for the woman they had run
down. When the basket was filled they fairly reveled in the
attractiveness of its contents. Boxes of crisp delicate crackers,
tumblers of jelly, jars of imported strawberries and cherries, a bunch
of California grapes that Rhoda said she was sure would weigh three
pounds, and some unusually fine Florida oranges. Piling the basket on
the sled that they had brought with them, they started gaily off,
dragging it behind them.

After they had covered half the distance a voice hailed them, and Walter
came dashing up behind them in his cutter. Reining in the spirited horse
he was driving, he cried:

"Jump in, girls. It's a dandy day for a spin."

But they laughingly refused.

"Too many of us for that cutter," said Rhoda. "We'd make an awful load."

"And we don't want any men around anyway, to-day," laughed Bess.

Walter heard, but he saw only Nan's glowing face. What he thought about
that face was plainly to be read in his eyes.

"Isn't there anything that I can do for you?" he asked. "Don't you want
me to run the basket up to the cottage for you?"

"No, thanks," replied Nan. "We're getting along finely. It's awfully
good of you, just the same."

Walter chirped to his horse, still with his eyes on Nan's smiling face,
and, lifting his hat, drove on.

CHAPTER IX

THE JOY OF GIVING

After Walter left it did not take the girls with their sled long to
reach Sarah Bragley's modest little cottage.

Mrs. Ellis opened the door at their knock.

"How is Mrs. Bragley to-day?" Nan asked, as they went in.

"As well as can be expected," replied the nurse. "She had a little fever
last night, but not enough to be at all anxious about."

"Has the doctor been here to-day?" queried Rhoda.

"Yes," was the reply, "about an hour ago."

"What did he say?"

"He says she is doing very well," Mrs. Ellis answered. "The only thing
that gives him an