“I mean to have just the same,” cried Elsie, whose imagination was fired by this gorgeous vision, “only my pond will be the biggest. I shall be a great deal beautifuller, too,” she added.

“You can’t,” said Katy from overhead. “Clover is going to be the most beautiful lady in the world.”

“But I’ll be more beautiful than the most beautiful,” persisted poor little Elsie; “and I’ll be big, too, and know everybody’s secrets. And everybody’ll be kind, then, and never run away and hide; and there won’t be any post offices, or anything disagreeable.”

“What’ll you be, Johnnie?” asked Clover, anxious to change the subject, for Elsie’s voice was growing plaintive.

But Johnnie had no clear ideas as to her future. She laughed a great deal, and squeezed Dorry’s arm very tight, but that was all. Dorry was more explicit.

“I mean to have turkey every day,” he declared, “and batter-puddings; not boiled ones, you know, but little baked ones, with brown shiny tops, and a great deal of pudding sauce to eat on them. And I shall be so big then that nobody will say, ‘Three helps is quite enough for a little boy.’ ”

“Oh, Dorry, you pig!” cried Katy, while the others screamed with laughter. Dorry was much affronted.

“I shall just go and tell Aunt Izzie what you called me,” he said, getting up in a great pet.

But Clover, who was a born peacemaker, caught hold of his arm, and her coaxings and entreaties consoled him so much that he finally said he would stay; especially as the others were quite grave now, and promised that they wouldn’t laugh any more.

“And now, Katy, it’s your turn,” said Cecy; “tell us what you’re going to be when you grow up.”

“I’m not sure about what I’ll be,” replied Katy, from overhead; “beautiful, of course, and good if I can, only not so good as you, Cecy, because it would be nice to go and ride with the young gentlemen sometimes.