"I shall miss the dear child so," she said. "I wish we might keep her with us a bit longer. Boarding-school will be the beginning of a long break, I fear." "It is because of the association that I particularly wish her to enter Miss North's school. She will meet refined girls from some of our old New England families, and the influence cannot fail to be helpful. I hope she will not be tempted to tell them that her grandmother is a brick," Miss Clyde added as an afterthought, but her smile was indulgent rather than critical. "Girls are much the same the world over," her mother answered with the wisdom of experience. "Blue Bonnet is very like her mother. She was a great romp, but she passed the hoydenish period in safety, so will Blue Bonnet; never fear." "She must be taught order and system; and a little domestic science under Katie might not come amiss, since she will some day be at the head of a household," Miss Clyde went on, and her mother signified approval. "Then there is mending and darning. On the whole, I think the next three months might be made very profitable to Blue Bonnet right here at home. I am not at all sure but that too much emphasis is given to the cultural side of education, and too little to the domestic these days. A girl to be well educated should be well rounded." After dinner, when the fire in the grate had been lighted--for the autumn evenings were beginning to bring chill to the air--and the family gathered for an hour's chat before bed, Miss Clyde broached the subject to Blue Bonnet. "How would you like to continue your vacation for three months longer, Blue Bonnet, to stay on here with Grandmother and me until after the holidays?" "And have no studies at all?" Blue Bonnet interrupted, her eyes widening with surprise. "What a lark!" "Well, there would be duties," Miss Clyde admitted. "One could not be altogether idle and keep happy." "We should like you to be our dear home girl for a while longer, Blue Bonnet," Mrs. Clyde said gently. "It is going to be very hard to give you up." "But I shall be at home for the week-ends." "We hope so, dear, if it does not interfere too much with your studies. Sometimes there is distraction in change of scene and habit. When you enter Miss North's school, you will be under her supervision, not ours--subject to her approval." A little pucker wrinkled Blue Bonnet's brow. "Shall I? Oh, dear, I do so hate being supervised. I mean by strangers, Grandmother. Will she be terribly strict, and--interfering?" "Not any more than will be for your interest and welfare." "Well, I reckon it will be all right. I want to do what you think best for me." Mrs. Clyde could not withheld the triumphant look that she turned toward her daughter. It said plainer than words, "you see how amenable she is, how sweet her nature." "And I could see a lot of the girls, even if they are in school. Perhaps the Club could meet oftener."