peeped in.

"Oh, it's Molly Prime," they all cried. "Here we are, Molly, come
along."

Molly scrambled down the ladder.

"I guessed where you were," she said. "Wealthy didn't know, so I took
care not to say a word to her, but just crept round and looked in. Oh,
girls! what do you think is going to happen?--something nice."

"What?"

"Miss Fitch is going to have a picnic and take us to the Shakers."

The Shaker settlement was about ten miles from Tunxet. I am not sure
that I have remembered to tell you that Tunxet was the name of the
place where Eyebright and the other children lived, but it was, Tunxet
Village. They were used to see the stout, sober-looking brethren in
their broad-brimmed hats, driving about the place in wagons and
selling vegetables, cheese, and apple-butter. But, as it happened,
none of the children had ever visited the home of the community, and
Molly's news produced a great excitement.

"Goody! goody!" they all cried, "when are we going, Molly, and how did
you know?"

"Miss Fitch told father. She came to borrow our big wagon, and Ben to
drive, and Pa said she could have it and welcome, because he thinks
ever so much of Miss Fitch, and so does mother. We are going on
Friday, and we are not to carry any thing to eat, because we're sure
to get a splendid dinner over there. Mother says nobody makes such
good things as the Shakers do. Won't it be lovely? All the school is
going, little ones and all, except Washington Wheeler, and he can't,
because he's got the measles."

"Oh, poor little Washington, that's too bad," said Eyebright, "but I'm
too glad for any thing that we're going. I always did want to see the
Shakers. Wealthy went once, and she told me about it. She says they're
the cleanest people in the world, and that you might eat off their
kitchen floor."

"Well, if Wealthy says that, you may be sure it is true," put in Laura
Wheelwright. "Ma declares _she's_ the cleanest person she ever saw."

"Oh, Wealthy says the Shakers wouldn't call her clean a bit," replied
Eyebright. "They'd never eat off _her_ floor, she says."

"Shall we really have to eat off a floor?" inquired Bessie, anxiously.

"Oh, no. That's only a way of saying very clean indeed!" explained
Eyebright.

All was expectation from that time onward till Friday came. The
children were afraid it might rain, and watched the clouds anxiously.
Thursday evening brought a thunder-storm, and many were the groans and
sighs; but