Arline Thayer, who was a joyous, irrepressible spirit, announced with conviction that Oakdale was even nicer than New York.

She and Nora became sworn friends and the joint guardians of Hippy, who declared that he never would have believed there were two such relentless tyrants in the world, if he had not seen them face to face.
Mrs.Gray, who had been in Florida during the Christmas holidays, had returned in time to welcome her adopted children home.

She was especially delighted to see Anne and would scarcely allow the quiet little girl out of her sight.

She had been greatly disappointed because Anne had refused to accept from her the money for her college education, but secretly exulted in Anne's independence and smiled to herself when she thought of a certain clause in her will that had amply provided for her adopted daughter's future welfare.
Altogether it was a vacation long to be remembered, and the four originals separated with the glad thought that the next time they met it would be months instead of weeks before their little company would again set their faces in opposite directions.
The night after their return to Overton, Grace, after having made a conscientious effort to study, threw down her history in despair.

"I know a great deal more about the history of Oakdale than I do about the history of Rome," she sighed.
"I wish I had never heard of trigonometry," returned Anne, shutting her book with a snap.