"That’s better than the old, slow, surface car," said Uncle Hal as they crossed the street. "Then the surface car must have been pretty bad," said Mary Jane positively, "’cause this one smells _awful_ and hurries so fast you can’t see anything!" "You’re right about those two things," laughed Uncle Hal, "and I suggest that you take a surface car to go back because then you can see all the sights you want to on the way. But of course, Mary Jane, you wanted to ride in a subway once." "Maybe I did," said Mary Jane, "but I think the swan boats are lots the nicest." Mrs. Merrill decided that they wouldn’t go into the Yard at this time; Hal would be busy and couldn’t show them around, and she much preferred that Alice and Mary Jane should get their first impressions of the wonderful university when they could see it right. So Uncle Hal put them on a surface car for Boston and with a promise to dine with them in their hotel, bade them good-by. "I just don’t see why anybody would ever ride in a cellar when they might be riding on a bridge over a lovely river," said Mary Jane as she looked at the Charles gleaming in the warm June sunshine. "They must be in an awful hurry to get somewhere or those things would never be built," added Alice. "Well, you know," laughed Mrs. Merrill, "we’re in a hurry sometimes ourselves! We’re not always ladies of leisure as we are to-day. And you see, it’s a long ride back to Boston. What shall we do when we get there, girls?" she added. "Get lunch," answered Alice promptly. "Lunch!" exclaimed Mrs. Merrill, teasingly, "after all that breakfast?" "Breakfast!" said Mary Jane, teasing back, "did we have breakfast?" "All right then, ladies," said Mrs. Merrill, "we’ll have lunch. And then how would you like to take an automobile ride that Hal told me about? It doesn’t last much over an hour and we can see the old part of Boston, the historic part and also the foreign district your father was telling you about the other day." "That would be fine, Mother," said Alice eagerly, "don’t let’s stop _long_ for lunch. Let’s just eat something and go—I love to see old places. Remember St. Augustine, Mother?" "Indeed I do, dear," answered Mrs. Merrill. "Here we are at Copley Square. I have a feeling we had better go to our room first—there might be a message or something. Then we’ll get lunch and take the ride." It was a good thing Mrs. Merrill thought to go to the hotel and inquire for a message, for there was one for them—one that changed all their plans for the afternoon. *AN UNEXPECTED VISIT AT WELLESLEY* Mrs. Merrill turned from the hotel desk and looked in a puzzled way at the slip of yellow paper she held in her hand.