Mary Jane--Her Visit Part 17

"Oh, I know!" exclaimed Mary Jane as suddenly she remembered it all, "it came around the corner so fast--something big did, and then I'm here!"

"And lucky you are to be here, young lady," said Dr. Smith, coming around to where she could see him. "How do you feel?"

"Hungry," said Mary Jane briefly.

Dr. Smith and Mother laughed so that the others heard them downstairs and came running to hear what the good news could be.

"Is he going to stay for breakfast?" asked Mary Jane as she sat up in bed and pointed to Dr. Smith. "It _is_ breakfast time, isn't it, Grandmother?"

"Bless the child!" exclaimed Grandmother from the doorway, "of course it is! She shall have anything she wants!"

They could hardly believe their eyes--those five who had seen the accident, but it was true. Mary Jane had not been hurt a bit--not more than a half-dozen scratches--only stunned by her fall. She got up in a few minutes, and with her mother's help (and how good it did seem to have her mother there _to_ help) they soon came downstairs to breakfast. Grandmother was so happy and excited that if it hadn't been for the help of Alice, who could always be counted on to be "steady"

when there was excitement a-foot, there's no telling what would have happened to that breakfast.

Alice got out the honey and set the extra place for Dr. Smith and cut the melons and brought the eggs to her grandmother. And Grandmother made some of her wonderful griddle cakes and they had a merry feast.

"Aren't you glad that big thing hit me?" asked Mary Jane of Dr. Smith as she pa.s.sed up her plate for a third (or was it the fourth) helping of cakes, "'cause if it hadn't, you wouldn't have had any of Grandmother's griddle cakes this morning, you wouldn't."

Dr. Smith had to admit that some good comes of everything and that he certainly was glad to get those griddle cakes. "The whole trouble," he added, "was because you didn't take _me_ to the picnic--of course that's not a hint!"

They all laughed at that and promised that he should go to the very next picnic they had--the very next.

How the days did fly after that.

Mary Jane would never have supposed that ten days could go so swiftly.

They took long rides in the car; had several fine picnics--with Dr.

Smith along whenever he could go; went fis.h.i.+ng in the river miles away and spent a day on a farm where threshers were working--a wonderful day the girls thought for it was all new to them.

And finally it came time to pack the trunks and start for home.

Mary Jane had hard work deciding what to put in, just as she had had when she packed to come. She wanted to take all the burr houses and green apple dolls they had made; and the ducks and a lot of corn and apples for Doris. She finally agreed that she would leave out all the other things if she could take _one_ house of burrs and _one_ green apple doll just to show how they were made and then a nice box of red cheeked eating apples to give to her little friend.

It was decided to go home by the day trip. The journey was shorter that way and Alice begged to go at a time when they might eat in the diner. So they took the train at nine in the morning and would reach home in time for dinner that night.

Mary Jane found it very hard to say good-by to Grandmother and Grandfather. She had learned to love them dearly and they had been so good and kind and thoughtful to her she would never, as long as she lived, forget the happy days she had spent with them. But, nice as it was to go away to visit, it was nicer still to be going home. Home to her own dolls and toys and friends and duties--everything that Mary Jane loved--that is, most everything, for it was hard to leave the lamb and the duck now grown so big and interesting and the baby mice--the new baby mice that had come to the barn loft family.

She waved good-by to her Grandmother and Grandfather as long as she could see them--which wasn't very long for the train pulled away so quickly from the little station where the Merrills got on; and then she turned to her mother and said, "now let's talk about something quick."

"Very well," said Mrs. Merrill, "I was just wanting to do that. Let's talk about what you are going to do this winter."

"Do this winter?" exclaimed Mary Jane in surprise, "I'm going to do just like I always do. I'm going to play with my dolls and play with Doris and sometimes with Junior and help you and everything like I do, Mother."

"Think so, dear?" asked Mrs. Merrill, "how old are you?"

"I'm five," answered Mary Jane in surprise.

"Five and a little more than a quarter," corrected Mrs. Merrill, "and seems to me that's big enough to be going to kindergarten. What do you think?"

"Oh, is it, Mother?" exclaimed Mary Jane happily, "am I really big enough?"

"I'm afraid my little girl is growing up," said Mrs. Merrill with half a sigh, "and that she ought to go to school. What do you think, Father?"

"I think she'll like it and that she ought to go," said Mr. Merrill promptly; "suppose we start her the first of October?"

So it was settled that Mary Jane was to go to kindergarten. They made plans and talked till the porter came through the car and called, "First call for luncheon! First call for luncheon! Diner in the rear of the train!" And then they all went through the train to the diner and Mary Jane ate her first meal on the train.

And if you want to know about what Mary Jane did after she got home from her summer trip; and about all the fun and good times she had after she started to kindergarten, you must read--

MARY JANE IN KINDERGARTEN