III.
"A happy May-day!" the children called to one another the next morning,
as they set out, at a very early hour, upon their pleasant round of
floral gift-leaving. Before doing so, however, each had held a special
conference with Ellen.
"Yes, I've managed it. Won't everybody be surprised?" she quietly
agreed again and again. And yet _how_ surprised everybody would be
only sportive Ellen knew.
At half-past seven they reassembled for breakfast, which Elsie and Will
took with their cousins. What a comparing of notes there was during
the meal! Teresa had been caught hanging a basket at her little
friend, Mollie Emerson's. Will's mother had seen him dodging round the
corner after fastening one on the front gate for her.
"O Joe! what did you do with that beautiful basket you arranged with so
much care,--the large one with the freshest flowers, I mean?" asked
Frances, with an ingenious air.
"Never mind!" answered Joe laconically, helping himself to another
glass of milk.
Everyone stole a knowing look at Ellen, without noticing that everyone
else was doing so; but that young lady imperturbably buttered a second
muffin, and studiously fixed her eyes on the tablecloth.
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