“Oh, no, this rule doesn’t work both ways!  We’ll just take all the Ourdays that we can get whenever we can get them.  But what are we going to do after we leave Grandma’s?”

“Well, if you all agree, I thought we might go over to New York and see your other grandma.”

“Go to Grandma Maynard’s, too!  Oh, what fun we will have!” and Marjorie looked as if her cup of bliss were full and running over.

“And after that,” said Mrs. Maynard, “if none of you object too seriously, we thought perhaps a little run up through New England would prove attractive.”

“Mother,” said King, looking at her twinkling eyes, “you planned all this out before?  It’s no surprise to you!”

“Very true, King; your father and I planned it while we were on our Southern trip.  We had such a delightful outing, it seemed only fair that we should take you children for a trip also.  And your father has been thinking for some time about buying an automobile, and as he can take the time now, it all works in beautifully.”

“Beautiful!  I should think it was!” cried Marjorie; “and Mother, will we all have motor coats and goggles, and all those queer things that they wear in automobiles?”

“You won’t have any queer things, and I doubt if you’ll need goggles; but you and Kitty shall have pretty motor coats, and pretty hoods and veils.  We’ll go on Monday to buy them.”

“Oh,” sighed Marjorie, “it just does seem too good to be true!  It’s like a fairy dream, and I ’spect I’ll wake up every minute.  What about lessons, Mother?”

“We’ve thought of that; but as your lessons would stop the first of June anyway, you’ll only lose a few weeks, and so we’re going to take you all out of school for that time.  For this year, at any rate, Maytime shall be playtime for the Maynards.”

“I’m so glad I’m a Maynard, and live in the Maynard family,” said Kitty, with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

“So’m I,” declared Marjorie; “there never was such a nice family, with such a bee-yootiful father and mother!”

And as if this were a signal for a general onslaught, the three young Maynards made a dash for the two older Maynards, and nearly choked them with well-meant but rather athletic embraces, which was their fashion of expressing approval and appreciation.

CHAPTER III

A TRIAL TRIP

Owing to some unexpected delay, the automobile didn’t arrive until Wednesday.  But when at last it came whirring up the drive, the assembled Maynards on the veranda greeted it with shouts of approval.

“Did you ever see such a beauty!” cried Marjorie, as she danced around the new car, and clambering up on the farther side, jumped over the closed door, and fell plump into one of the cushioned seats.

“Oh, Mopsy!” cried her father, “that isn’t the way to get in.”

“I don’t care,—­I am in!  And it’s just great in here!  Why, there’s room enough for a whole party.”