“Yes, I can see,” admitted Forester, thoughtfully.  “But those other youngsters—­”

Celia laughed.  It was easy to think well of everybody out here in this delicious air and in the company of people she thoroughly liked.  Even Lucy Peyton seemed less of an infliction.

“Little Ran has certainly improved very much,” she said, warmly.  “And even Lucy—­”

“Has Lucy improved?” Forester looked at her with a quizzical smile.  “The last time I saw her I thought she was rather going backward.  I met her by accident in town one day.  Charlotte was shopping, and Lucy was waiting.  She rushed up to me as to a long lost friend.  She practically invited me to invite herself and Charlotte to lunch with me—­she somewhat grudgingly included Charlotte.  I was rather taken off my feet for an instant.  Charlotte heard, and came up.  I wish you could have seen the expression on the face of Mrs. Andrew Churchill!  I don’t know which felt the more crushed, Lucy or I. I assure you I was anxious to take them both to lunch after that, Mrs. Andrew had made it so clearly impossible.”

“The perversity of human desires,” laughed Celia.  “Poor Lucy!  Charlotte won’t stand the child’s absurd affectations.”

“Come here, and listen to my plan!” called Doctor Forester, unable to wait longer to unfold it.  So for the next half-hour the plan was discussed in all its bearings.

Celia proposed at once that they keep it a secret from Charlotte until the last possible moment, and this was agreed upon.  Then Evelyn suggested, a little shyly, that it also remain unknown to Jeff.  He was to be graduated from college about the middle of June, was very busy and hurried, and might appreciate the whole thing better when Commencement was out of the way.  It was finally decided that the party should come down to “The Banks” upon the evening of Jeff’s Commencement Day, and that to him and Charlotte the whole arrangement should be a complete surprise.

The date was only three weeks ahead, and Celia and Evelyn, Mrs. Birch and the others, found plenty to do in getting ready for the outing, to say nothing of seeing that neither Charlotte nor Jeff made other engagements for the period.

“No, no, let’s not get in our camping so early in the season.  It’ll be all over too soon, then,” argued Just with his brother.  Upon Just devolved the task of heading Jeff off for those prospective two weeks.  “Besides, I’ve an idea Lanse may prefer July or August.”

“If you’d been boning for examinations the way I have,” retorted Jeff, “your one idea would be to get off into the wilderness just as soon as your sheepskin was fairly in your hands.  I don’t see why you argue against going in June.  You were eager enough for it a week ago.”

“Oh, not so awfully eager.  I——­”

“You were in a frenzy to go.  And I haven’t cooled off, if you have.”

“He’s hopeless,” Just confided to Evelyn.  “His granite mind is set on going camping in June, and I can’t get him off it.  If you’ve any little tricks of persuasiveness all your own now’s your time to try ’em on him.  He’ll spoil the whole thing.”