“Yes.”  Mrs. Minot had no time to say more, for one of the red slippers flew up in the air, and Jack had to clap both hands over his mouth to suppress the “hurrah!” that nearly escaped.  Frank said, “That’s good!” and nodded with his most cordial smile at Jill who pulled herself up with cheeks now as rosy as the red carnation, and a little catch in her breath as she said to herself,—­

“It’s too lovely to be true.”

“That’s a first-rate end to a very good story,” began Jack, with grave decision, as he put on his slipper and sat up to pat Jill’s hand, wishing it was not quite so like a little claw.

“That’s not the end;” and Mamma’s eyes laughed more than ever as three astonished faces turned to her, and three voices cried out,—­

“Still more?”

“The very best of all.  You must know that, while Lucy was busy for others, she was not forgotten, and when she was expecting to lie on her bed through the summer, plans were being made for all sorts of pleasant changes.  First of all, she was to have a nice little brace to support the back which was growing better every day; then, as the warm weather came on, she was to go out, or lie on the piazza; and by and by, when school was done, she was to go with the queen and the princes for a month or two down to the sea-side, where fresh air and salt water were to build her up in the most delightful way.  There, now! isn’t that the best ending of all?” and Mamma paused to read her answer in the bright faces of two of the listeners, for Jill hid hers in the pillow, and lay quite still, as if it was too much for her.

“That will be regularly splendid!  I’ll row you all about—­boating is so much easier than riding, and I like it on salt water,” said Frank, going to sit on the arm of the sofa, quite excited by the charms of the new plan.

“And I’ll teach you to swim, and roll you over the beach, and get sea-weed and shells, and no end of nice things, and we’ll all come home as strong as lions,” added Jack, scrambling up as if about to set off at once.

“The doctor says you have been doing finely of late, and the brace will come to-morrow, and the first really mild day you are to have a breath of fresh air.  Won’t that be good?” asked Mrs. Minot, hoping her story had not been too interesting.

“Is she crying?” said Jack, much concerned as he patted the pillow in his most soothing way, while Frank lifted one curl after another to see what was hidden underneath.

Not tears, for two eyes sparkled behind the fingers, then the hands came down like clouds from before the sun, and Jill’s face shone out so bright and happy it did one’s heart good to see it.

“I’m not crying,” she said with a laugh which was fuller of blithe music than any song she sung.  “But it was so splendid, it sort of took my breath away for a minute.  I thought I wasn’t any better, and never should be, and I made up my mind I wouldn’t ask, it would be so hard for any one to tell me so.  Now I see why the doctor made me stand up, and told me to get my baskets ready to go a-Maying.  I thought he was in fun; did he really mean I could go?” asked Jill, expecting too much, for a word of encouragement made her as hopeful as she had been despondent before.