nd, for I had been afraid
we must seem a great deal too glad that she was going. Now I could
venture on my very loudest "hurrah," which, after all, was but a feeble
imitation of the boys' loud cheers.

You know, anticipation is the best part of every pleasure; in easier
words, everything looks brighter before it comes than when it _is_ come.
I think that was very nearly the happiest day of my whole year at
Beecham, when I sat on the floor watching the last things put into Miss
Grant's box, and chattering away about the happy days coming. You see,
for a long time I had got up every morning with the thought of how many
good marks I should get, and of how those hard letters and figures were
to be made, and though I had made many a brave fight and won many a
delightful victory over the books, yet it _was_ very nice to think that
to-morrow I should awake with the holiday feeling instead.

And the next morning did really come, though we thought it never would,
and we made a very long meal of breakfast, being not quite sure what was
to come next.

It was a funny day, that first day! Grandmamma and Uncle Hugh went away
early for a long drive, and all sorts of business at the end of it; and
we knew they would not be home till ever so late. It was very hot--oh,
so _very_ hot! We could not go into the sun at all, but Susette and Jane
sent us out of the nursery very soon, that we might not disturb baby's
midday sleep by our holiday fun. The school-room, of course, we avoided;
so, after a little hesitation, we went out into the shade to play.

[Illustration: UP TO THE MOON!]

And, first of all, we thought of the swing as the best thing to be done,
and for half an hour it _was_ most delightful! Don't you know the
pleasant feeling it is, just up at the very highest point, when you
are not _quite_ sure whether you are frightened or not? Don't you know?
And you laugh a little anxiously, and are very glad to find yourself
safely down again. Oh, it was very good fun for _a little while_! Only
Harry came to swing us, and he was so fond of seeing your feet up into
the branches, that you never could be quite sure that he would not send
you head-over-heels. Lottie was very brave, but I could not quite stand
it, so I stood by and watched; and when they asked me to have another
try, I said, "No, thank you." I think Alick saw that I was a little red
and uncomfortable, for he asked me to come and play on the lawn. We ran
away, taking a last