When Arabella found that Lola was liked by all the other pupils, she decided to be just a bit friendly toward her, and Lola seemed pleased that Arabella was no longer odd and silent.

And so it happened that Arabella now seemed really to be a member of the class.  She no longer refused to join in their games at recess, and took more interest in her lessons than she had before.

Aunt Charlotte was delighted, and hoped that Arabella’s pleasant mood would last.

There was great excitement one morning when the little class was told that plans had been made for the first entertainment, and that rehearsals would commence that afternoon.  A little murmur of delight passed over the class, and Aunt Charlotte smiled at their pleasure.

“I shall ask Dorothy to sing two songs for us; Nancy, I know, will be willing to do a fancy dance; Nina and Jeanette are learning a new duet for the piano, and I should be pleased to have that for another number on our programme.  I have chosen a fine dialogue which will give a part to every girl, and also a boy’s role for Reginald.”

When Aunt Charlotte had finished speaking, there was another little murmur of delight, and then the lessons for the day commenced.

At recess they could not spare a moment for games!  They talked, and talked of the entertainment which they were to give, and of the fine times which they would have at the afternoon rehearsals, and after school, when they walked along the avenue, they still were talking of the solo numbers, and of the dialogue.

“There’s eight girls in it, and one boy, that’s Reginald,” said Mollie, “and I know—­oh, wait till I tie my shoe.”

She rested her foot on a stone, and tied the ribbons with a smart little twitch.

“And now what were you going to say?” asked Jeanette.

“I said how many were to be in the dialogue, and I was going to say that I know I’m just wild to hear Aunt Charlotte read it to us this afternoon.”

“Then you won’t have to be wild long,” Jeanette said, “for we are to come back at two to have our parts given to us.”

* * * * *

At two o’clock they were again at the cottage, eagerly watching Aunt Charlotte, as she opened her desk, and took from it a book with a scarlet cover.

“There are nine girls in my class, just the number required for this dialogue,” she said.  “Eight of the characters are school girls, one is a fairy, and the boy in the little play is an elfin messenger.”

“That’ll be me, for I’m the only boy here,” said Reginald; “you girls don’t know who’ll be which!” Aunt Charlotte laughed at this speech as heartily as did the girls.

“We’ll soon know who’ll be which,” said Nancy.

“Yes, because Aunt Charlotte will tell us,” laughed Dorothy.

“The directions for producing the play, speaks of the fairy queen as being taller than the school girls, so I will give that part to you, Jeanette, as you are a trifle taller than the others.”