“Wish to goodness it was over now,” growled Nora O’Malley.  “I don’t believe the last of June will ever come.”

The morning after commencement, eight highly excited girls gathered on the Harlowe’s veranda.  Grace had received a note from Judge Putnam requesting that the Phi Sigma Tau call upon him at ten o’clock that morning.

“Do hurry,” said Jessica, as they neared the judge’s beautiful home.  “The sooner we get there the sooner we’ll know.”

“Good morning, young ladies,” said the judge, bowing with old-time gallantry as James ushered the eight girls into the library.  “You look like a garden of roses.  There’s nothing like youth; nothing like it.  Sit down and make yourselves comfortable while I tell you why I asked you to come and see an old man.”

“You are just like Mrs. Gray, Judge,” said Grace, “always imagining yourself old, when you know you’re just a great big boy.”

“Very pretty, my dear,” chuckled the judge.  “But if I am as young as you say, then I must do something to keep young.  Now, the way I propose doing it is this:  I have a camp up in the Adirondacks that needs attention, so I wrote my youngest sister about it and she agrees with me.  She is going up there this week with a couple of servants to open the bungalow and put it in readiness for eight girls who call themselves the Phi Sigma Tau, providing their fathers and mothers can spare them for a few weeks.  Do you think they will care to go?”

“Oh-h-h-h!  How lovely!” breathed the eight girls in concert.

“Care to go?  Well I should say so.  It will be the greatest lark ever,” cried Grace.

“If you know any young men who can make themselves useful, we might invite them.  I don’t like the idea of being the only boy, you know.”

“David and Tom,” said Grace and Anne.

“Hippy can go, I’m sure,” said Nora.

“Not to mention Reddy and Arnold Evans,” murmured Jessica, with a glance at Miriam.

“It looks as though I shall not lack masculine company,” remarked the judge, with twinkling eyes.  “Tell your parents that my sister will write them.”

“I move that we give three cheers and the High School yell for Judge Putnam, and then go straight home and get proper permission,” cried Grace.

The cheers were given with a will, and after shaking hands with the judge, the girls said good-bye.

“How did Judge Putnam know about the Phi Sigma Tau; even to its name?” asked Marian Barber curiously.

“Lots of people know of it,” remarked Eva Allen.

“Girls,” said Grace earnestly, “don’t you think our society has been a success so far?”

“Yes, indeed,” was the united answer.

“Our sorority has made us fast friends, loyal to each other, through good and evil report,” she continued.  “Let us resolve now, that during our senior year we will stand firmly together, and make the Phi Sigma Tau represent all that is best and most worthy in High School life.”