“Well, let’s go right away,” said Gertrude, jumping up and pushing back her chair.

“Immediately, Miss Ross,” corrected the governess.  “Right away is exceedingly inelegant.”

“How tiresome!” muttered Gertrude.  Then aloud to Violet, as the governess left the room, “I say, Vi, does your mamma reprove you for saying right away?”

“I don’t remember that I ever said it.  Mamma——­”

“Said it?” interrupted Gertrude, with a twinkle of fun in her eye, “why don’t you say ‘used the expression’? my dear,” mimicking Miss Fisk’s tones, “you should never condescend to make use of a sixpenny word, when a fifty cent one would express your sentiments fully as correctly, or perchance even more so.”

Vi could not help joining in the laugh with which Gertrude concluded, though feeling rather ashamed of herself, as she seemed to see the grave look of disapproval mamma would have given her if present.

“Oh, Gertrude,” she said, “we oughtn’t to——­”

“Yes, we ought,” returned Gertrude, as they ran out of the room together; “mamma always laughs when I take off old finikin Fisk.  She wouldn’t have me talk like her for the world.  Would your mamma wish you to?”

“No, but she never says——­”

“Right away?  No, of course not; she says ‘immediately’ or ‘at once’ or something that sounds nice.  Well, so will I when I’m grown up.”

Miss Fisk was on the porch taking an observation of the weather, the children crowding about her, and clamoring to be allowed to set out immediately for the grove.  The day was fine, and there seemed every indication that it would continue so.

“Yes,” said the governess, “you may request your maids to see that you are suitably arrayed for the occasion, and as promptly as possible, and we will repair to the appointed place; taking our departure hence in precisely thirty minutes.”

The children were ready and impatiently waiting, when Miss Fisk came down from her room, “suitably arrayed for the occasion.”

They set out at once, the whole party in high good humor, the boys carrying their balls, marbles, and fishing rods, the girls their dolls and a set of toy dishes, to play tea-party with.  Miss Fisk had a bit of fancy work and a book, and two servants brought up the rear with camp-chairs, an afghan and rugs to make a couch for the little ones when they should grow sleepy.  Luncheon was in course of preparation by the cook, and was to be sent by the time the young picnickers were likely to feel an appetite for it.

The boys took the lead, bounding on some distance ahead, with Ranger in their midst.  They were in no mood just then for sitting still, so depositing their fishing tackle in the schoolhouse, went roving about in search of more active amusement than that of catching trout.

“That’ll be good fun when we want to sit down and rest,” said Eddie.

“Oh, I see a bird’s nest, and I’m going to have it!” exclaimed Archie, beginning to climb a tree.