The most optimistic of weather prophets
could have seen no promise of clearing in the lowering sky. The girls
had roused a little early, in honor of the occasion, and they came
down-stairs with gloomy faces, and over the oatmeal and bacon exchanged
condolences. "To think that the first really rainy day had to be the
Fourth," scolded Priscilla. "And when we had made up our minds to be so
patriotic, too."

"And that three-legged race," mourned Amy. "Probably I'll never get a
chance to see another. Peggy, I warn you that when you look
so--preposterously cheerful, it makes me feel like throwing something."

Peggy laughed, and helped herself to toast. "I was only thinking that if
we were going to keep the Fourth of July indoors, we'd have to have a
flag of some sort."

"You don't mean you'd go three miles in this rain after a flag, Peggy.
And, anyway, the store would be closed for the Fourth."

"Oh, I didn't mean to buy one. I thought we'd make it."

"Make a flag!" exclaimed Claire Fendall. "Who ever heard of such a
thing?"

"Betsy Ross did it," Peggy reminded her. "Let's us hurry through the
dishes and see if we can't do as much."

Even though the prospect of emulating Betsy Ross was an unsatisfactory
substitute for the anticipated excitements of the day, Peggy's
suggestion was noticeably successful in raising the drooping spirits of
the crowd. The work of the morning was dispatched in haste, and the
girls flocked to the living-room where a fire less ambitious than their
first attempt had been kindled on the hearth. Peggy had produced a
large-sized white towel from her trunk, and she at once began to explain
her plan.

"This will do for a foundation, girls. It's soft and it will drape
nicely. Now all we need is a blue patch in one corner, and red stripes.
Who's got any red ribbon?"

"I've got that red ribbon I use for a sash," responded Amy. "But I'd
hate to have it cut."

"Oh, we won't need to cut it. You see, this flag is going to be draped
over the fireplace, so its shortcomings won't be in evidence, and we'll
turn the ribbon on the side that doesn't show. Bring me all the red
ribbons in the house. Amy's sash won't be enough."

So with much animated discussion, the flag grew apace. Nobody was
exactly sure whether the outer stripe should be red or white, and for
economical reasons, Peggy decided on the latter. "We'll begin with
white, girls, for that will make seven white stripes and only six red
ones. And