Phil bounced up, wiped her nose, and fell on her knees before Anne.

“Girls—­girls—­let me come, too.  Oh, I’ll be so good.  If there’s no room for me I’ll sleep in the little doghouse in the orchard—­I’ve seen it.  Only let me come.”

“Get up, you goose.”

“I won’t stir off my marrow bones till you tell me I can live with you next winter.”

Anne and Priscilla looked at each other.  Then Anne said slowly, “Phil dear, we’d love to have you.  But we may as well speak plainly.  I’m poor—­Pris is poor—­Stella Maynard is poor—­our housekeeping will have to be very simple and our table plain.  You’d have to live as we would.  Now, you are rich and your boardinghouse fare attests the fact.”

“Oh, what do I care for that?” demanded Phil tragically.  “Better a dinner of herbs where your chums are than a stalled ox in a lonely boardinghouse.  Don’t think I’m all stomach, girls.  I’ll be willing to live on bread and water—­with just a LEETLE jam—­if you’ll let me come.”

“And then,” continued Anne, “there will be a good deal of work to be done.  Stella’s aunt can’t do it all.  We all expect to have our chores to do.  Now, you—­”

“Toil not, neither do I spin,” finished Philippa.  “But I’ll learn to do things.  You’ll only have to show me once.  I can make my own bed to begin with.  And remember that, though I can’t cook, I can keep my temper.  That’s something.  And I never growl about the weather.  That’s more.  Oh, please, please!  I never wanted anything so much in my life—­and this floor is awfully hard.”

“There’s just one more thing,” said Priscilla resolutely.  “You, Phil, as all Redmond knows, entertain callers almost every evening.  Now, at Patty’s Place we can’t do that.  We have decided that we shall be at home to our friends on Friday evenings only.  If you come with us you’ll have to abide by that rule.”

“Well, you don’t think I’ll mind that, do you?  Why, I’m glad of it.  I knew I should have had some such rule myself, but I hadn’t enough decision to make it or stick to it.  When I can shuffle off the responsibility on you it will be a real relief.  If you won’t let me cast in my lot with you I’ll die of the disappointment and then I’ll come back and haunt you.  I’ll camp on the very doorstep of Patty’s Place and you won’t be able to go out or come in without falling over my spook.”

Again Anne and Priscilla exchanged eloquent looks.

“Well,” said Anne, “of course we can’t promise to take you until we’ve consulted with Stella; but I don’t think she’ll object, and, as far as we are concerned, you may come and glad welcome.”

“If you get tired of our simple life you can leave us, and no questions asked,” added Priscilla.

Phil sprang up, hugged them both jubilantly, and went on her way rejoicing.

“I hope things will go right,” said Priscilla soberly.

“We must make them go right,” avowed Anne.  “I think Phil will fit into our ’appy little ’ome very well.”