"Why, a kind of sale, like the one Miss Jessy attended in Philadelphia, for the orphans. Don't you remember that she told us about it?" "Oh, yes! Well, what then?" "Well, the young ladies are going to have one, and they have asked us school-girls to make things for one of the tables. Miss Jessy is to have it in charge, and two or three of us are to help her. And we are to make all sorts of pretty and useful things for sale, and find the materials ourselves. And I know what I am going to make, but I don't mean to tell anybody—not yet." All this explanation Belle delivered with great animation and a vast amount of gesticulation, as her fashion was. "You will have to tell, if we meet together for work," observed one of the girls. "And you know that was what we proposed—to meet with Miss Jessy, Wednesday afternoon of each week." "To be sure, so we did. I did not think of that, but it don't matter." "I think the meeting will be half the fun, don't you, Calista?" said little Emma Adair, Belle's cousin. But Calista was looking for something in her desk, and did not answer. "I think it is very nice—all of it—only I don't see how I am to do anything, because I have no money," said Theresa Diaments. "Somehow my allowance is always gone before I know it." "Because you spend it all," returned her cousin, Antoinette, who roomed with her. "You never go out without buying something—pins, or thread, or pencils. You buy ten bunches of hairpins to my one." "Oh, yes! I dare say," remarked Belle, sarcastically enough. "We all know how economical you are. Perhaps if you bought more pins, poor Tessy would not need to buy so many." Antoinette colored deeply, and cast anything but an amiable glance at the last speaker. "What will you do, Calista?" asked Belle. "How can I tell?" returned Calista. "I don't half understand the matter yet. You are always in such a hurry, Belle. Where is Mary Settson?" "Here she comes,— "'Sober, steadfast and demure,'— "As usual," said Belle. "What are you going to make for the fair, Mary?" "I haven't said I was going to make anything," replied Mary, looking annoyed, for she was not pleased with Belle's quotation. "Come out a minute, Calista; I want to tell you something. Oh, here comes Miss McPherson to open school! Girls, what are you about? Don't you see?"