Part 33 (1/2)
”I guess I know three,” Chicken Little had been thinking.
”I bet you don't--where?”
”Oh, Katy, ladies don't bet,” interrupted Mrs. Halford reprovingly.
”I just forgot, Mumsey, but all the girls most, say it--you're so very particular.”
”You'll be glad I am some day, I hope.”
”Maybe, but I--I'm not just now. And anyhow Jane doesn't know where I'm going to hang my baskets.”
”I do too, but I'm not going to tell.”
”You don't either--you're 'fraid to tell 'cause you don't!”
Katy was crowding the truth pretty close. Chicken Little started to protest again when Gertie came to the rescue.
”You're going to hang one for Miss Burton--I heard you say so--and one for Cousin May, aren't you?”
”Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. Perhaps I haven't decided.”
”You are too, Katy Halford, you said you were.”
”I s'pose I ought to hang one for Miss Brown,” sighed Jane. ”I don't want to very bad--she's been awful cross--and Marian. I'm going to give her the prettiest one I have. I wish I could send Alice one.”
”How is Alice getting on?” asked Mrs. Halford.
”All right. I guess she's learned a lot--she says she stays up till ten o'clock every night studying. Her aunt Clara gave her a pretty new dress--and a new coat. Her aunt's going to take her to the seash.o.r.e with them this summer, maybe. I wish I could go to the seash.o.r.e.”
”I've been to the lakes--that's most like the seash.o.r.e, isn't it, Mother?” Katy boasted.
”A little. But you haven't told us about the baskets, Katy. Where are the other four going? I'm getting curious myself.”
Katy looked up at her mother's teasing face.
”I'll tell you, Mumsey, but I sha'n't tell the girls.” Katy jumped up and whispered something to her mother.
”There, there, dear, you tickle my ear and I didn't half hear.”
Katy put her mouth close to her mother's ear and hurriedly mumbled six names.
”That'll do--it feels as if you were exploding firecrackers in my ear. I guess I got them all.”
”I heard, too,” piped Chicken Little and Gertie almost in concert.
”You didn't either!” Katy looked up indignantly.
”I did, too. You said Miss Burton and Cousin May and Marian Morton and Papa and Grace Dart and Ernest--so there!” Gertie reeled off the names almost as quickly as Katy had.
”Gertie Halford, I think that was real mean of you to tell.”
”I heard them all but Ernest, anyhow,” Chicken Little said quickly.