"I just want to say," Nancy began with a little quaver in her voice, "that we've prepared some little cakes and punch as samples of our cooking class work, and we'll be glad to have you all stay and try them." There was real applause at this, and mentioning the cooking class--was a signal for another outburst of comment from the ladies. They all believed in girls doing something during summer, and they did not believe in girls "wasting" an entire vacation. "I think we ought to give a cheer for the girls," Mr. Sanders proposed. "They have kept things going pretty lively around here this summer, just lively enough to save me from having been discovered." "And I'd like to say a word," ventured timid Miss Manners. But the girls would not permit her to do so, Nancy, especially being fearful that the little lady's gratitude, for the domestic science class and for Mrs. Brandon's hospitality might become embarrassing. "Any how," said Buster to Ted, "we can have our dog." "And a dandy new collar," appended Ted. Nancy was waiting a chance to finish her announcements, and in a little lull she again called out: "Mr. Sanders and Miss Sanders are entertaining tomorrow evening at the Waterfall House. Every body is invited! And you will be treated there to some real samples of our cakes!" "Now I call that lov-el-lee," declared Miss Townsend, shaking her new hat at every syllable. "And these cakes," (the girls were passing them) "are de-lic-ious." Nancy was very happy. She tugged at her mother's arm and cuddled her head against the loving shoulder, just as she had always done in her great moments. "Isn't it lov-ell-lee, Mums," she whispered. "A complete--success!" murmured the mother. And the next morning half, if not all, of Long Leigh trooped up the hill to inspect the wonderfully outfitted and "infitted" cistern, that had so long escaped notice, on the grounds of the old, stone house. "I was going to look down that cistern first chance I got," Nancy confessed. "But being successful is such a busy--business," she joked, "that I think it will be a delightful change to begin a real vacation with mother tomorrow." THE END End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Nancy Brandon, by Lilian Garis