“No, indeed, Miss Randolph, and perhaps you will think I am silly. It’s only this. I heard Betty and Isabel and Diane talking about joining the bird clubs, and Diane and Isabel both said that they’d love to, only it would be all their people could do this year to meet the regular expenses, and they did not dare ask for field glasses or even opera glasses or any more books. Now I’m going to join, and I thought maybe I could get the textbooks and some others and make a little library for the East Corridor girls. But I’m afraid to buy glasses for the girls,—they’re so proud and independent. Why I had a time to get Hilary to accept a few little presents.” “Independence of a certain kind is a fine virtue, Cathalina. Has Hilary glasses?” “Yes, her aunt sent her some fine ones.” “Let me think a little. I suppose you would like to buy each of the other girls a forty or fifty dollar pair?” Cathalina laughed at Miss Randolph’s tone. “Yes, of course I would, but I see that I can’t unless I do it ‘unbeknownst,’ as our Katy says, and anyway they would suspect.” “How would this plan do? For some time I have thought that we ought to have a supply of glasses to rent; but some of the girls are so careless that that fact, together with our lack of funds, has prevented our getting them. Now how would you like to present the school with a number of field glasses of moderate price, and perhaps two or three more expensive ones to be given out at my discretion or given by the science teachers for special interest or ability? Possibly one or two could be awarded at the close of the year as prizes.” “That is the very thing! I’ll write Papa today! Thank you, Miss Randolph, I might have known that you would take the worry away. And you can manage it, can’t you, so that Diane and Isabel get some good ones?” “I surely will if the little princess gives us so much. She ought to have some reward!” “‘Princess!’” thought Cathalina, as she went away. “That’s what I’m going to be, forever and ever!—a fairy princess who will make all sorts of lovely dreams come true for people!”