pinned the note inside her frock, as a shield and a reminder,
lest she be taken unaware, and proceeded to open her other let-
ter, quite ready for either good or bad news. In a big, dashing
hand, Laurie wrote, --

"Dear Jo,
What ho!

Some English girls and boys are coming to see me to-morrow
and I want to have a jolly time. If it 's fine, I 'm going to pitch
my tent in Longmeadow, and row up the whole crew to lunch
and croquet, -- have a fire, make messes, gypsy fashion, and
all sorts of larks. They are nice people, and like such things.
Brooke will go, to keep us boys steady, and Kate Vaughn will
play propriety for the girls. I want you all to come; can't let
Beth off, at any price, and nobody shall worry her. Don't
bother about rations, -- I 'll see to that, and everything else, --
only do come, there's a good fellow!

"In a tearing hurry,
Yours ever, LAURIE."

"Here 's richness!" cried Jo, flying in to tell the news to
Meg.

"Of course we can go, mother? it will be such a help to
Laurie, for I can row, and Meg see to the lunch, and the chil-
dren be useful in some way."

"I hope the Vaughns are not fine, grown-up people. Do
you know anything about them, Jo?" asked Meg.

"Only that there are four of them. Kate is older than you,
Fred and Frank (twins) about my age, and a little girl ( Grace),
who is nine or ten. Laurie knew them abroad, and liked the
boys; I fancied, from the way he primmed up his mouth in
speaking of her, that he didn't admire Kate much."

"I 'm so glad my French print is clean; it 's just the thing,
and so becoming!" observed Meg complacently. "Have you
anything decent, Jo ?"

"Scarlet and gray boating suit, good enough for me. I shall

-128-