“We shan’t try to,” said Nora.  “Now, if you were Hippy—­”

“Nothing could drive me from your presence,” interrupted Hippy hastily, “so don’t try it.  Let’s change the subject.  That word club has an ugly sound.  It makes me nervous.”

“Never mind, Hippy,” said Miriam.  “Nora shall not tease you.  I’ll protect you.”

“Nora, go away, I am protected!” exclaimed Hippy, and, getting behind Miriam, he peered forth at Nora with such a ludicrous expression that she laughed, and immediately declared a truce by allowing him to sit on the rustic seat beside her.

It was a memorable dinner.  The girls in their dainty white graduating gowns, their eyes alight with the joy of youth, and the young men with their clean-cut, boyish faces made a picture that Mrs. Nesbit viewed with a feeling of pleasure that was akin to pain.

The start for Assembly Hall was made at a little after seven, as the girls were to join the senior class there, and proceed to the stage, where the class was to sit in a body.  Nearly every member of the class carried flowers of some description that had been given to them by their families and friends.

Grace and her chums were supremely happy in that their little social world had turned out to do them honor.  Mrs. Gray and Miss Nevin, accompanied by Eleanor’s father, were seated near the front with Mrs. Gibson and the Southards, who had arrived at Hawk’s Nest on the previous day.  Grace’s father and mother, Judge Putnam and his sister, Mrs. Nesbit, Nora’s brothers and sister and Jessica’s father were scattered about through the house.

When the graduates took their places upon the stage, there was tumultuous applause.  To the citizens of Oakdale who had known the young women from babyhood, the present class seemed the finest Oakdale High School had yet turned out.

“Bless the dears,” said Miss Thompson to Miss Tebbs, as the girls filed past them and on to the stage.  “They are without exception the most brilliant lot of girls I have ever had charge of.  But of them all there is no one of them quite equal to Grace.  She is the ideal type of all that a High School girl should be, and when I say that I have paid her the highest compliment in my power.”

The slight difficulty that had arisen between Grace and the principal during Grace’s junior year had long since been adjusted by Eleanor, who had gone to Miss Thompson with a frank confession of her transgressions during her junior year.  Miss Thompson had freely forgiven her and had fully appreciated the sense of honor that had prompted the deed.

As the class was large, fifteen girls from the entire number had been chosen to deliver essays and addresses.  Among these were Anne, Eleanor, Grace, Miriam and Nora.

“I’m just as well satisfied that I was not chosen,” Jessica whispered to Eva Allen, as Grace stepped forward to deliver the salutatory address.

“It’s easy to see who is first in the hearts of Oakdale,” returned Eva.  “Grace won’t be able to begin this evening if they don’t stop it.”