Chicken Little Jane Part 34

"What is it, Sis? Do you want some of my flowers for the baskets?

Anything I've got except that big lily."

"Oh, Marian, I don't want to take your flowers--I just--wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away--I can give you advice to burn--it's about all I'm good for these days."

"It's about the May baskets. Do you think it would be all right to hang one for Carol?"

"Why sure, dear. Anybody would like one of your lovely baskets with these dear flowers."

"But--I----"

"Yes?"

"Johnny Carter gave me all his flowers and I thought maybe I ought to hang one for him."

"Well, you have plenty of flowers for two."

"Ye--es."

"Well?"

"I thought maybe it wasn't nice--to have two."

"Two what?"

Chicken Little wriggled uneasily and got rather red in the face.

"Two beaux."

Marian suppressed a laugh.

"Why, Chicken Little, I think you are a little young to be talking about beaux. I wouldn't, if I were you. Carol is Ernest's friend and he does lots of nice things for you. And you certainly don't want to neglect Johnny when he was so kind about giving you the flowers. It would be very nice for you to show your appreciation by hanging a basket for each of them. I'll write the names for you, if you want me to--then they won't recognize the writing."

"Oh, will you? And Marian----"

"Yes?"

"Don't tell Katy or Ernest--or Mother, will you?"

"I won't tell a living soul, dear, this shall be our very own secret."

"Katy's going to hang one to Ernest," said Chicken Little shamelessly betraying Katy's secret just after she had secured Marian's promise to keep her own.

"Is she? That's nice, but Chicken Little, if you don't want me to tell about you, you oughtn't to tell about Katy--ought you?"

"I am not going to tell Ernest," the child a.s.sured her hastily.

"Well, I don't believe I'd tell anybody. It's Katy's little secret. Let her tell it if she wants to."

Marian's admonition was well-timed but she felt it was rather wasted later that afternoon. The little girls had accepted her invitation and had brought their flowers and May baskets over for her help and advice.

Katy was filling hers deftly, chattering as she worked. She was especially particular with one, taking the flowers out and rearranging them several times before she could get them to her liking.

"That must be for someone very special, Katy."

Katy looked pleased.

"Yes, it's for a very--special friend."

Marian saw that Katy wished to be questioned.

"Why, Katy, that sounds mysterious. I suppose we don't dare ask who this friend is?"

"It's somebody you know," volunteered Gertie.

Chicken Little giggled, appreciating the joke.

"Somebody you know very well," added Katy with emphasis.

"It can't be Frank?" Marian queried.

The children laughed in derision.

"You're getting a little bit warm," suggested Katy.

"Only a little bit warm--let me see--it's Dr. Morton. No?--then it must be d.i.c.k Harding."

Katy shook her head.

"I'm certainly a poor guesser. Is it Sherm?"

Jane was delighted with Marian's pretending and Gertie was burning to a.s.sist.

"He was here this morning," Gertie encouraged.

"He has weak eyes," Chicken Little was delightfully definite.

"Why, it must be Ernest!"

Katy smiled a self-conscious little smirk and the others nodded joyfully.

"Of course, how stupid I was. Let's see--you go after dark and hang the baskets on the door k.n.o.b, then ring the bell and run--isn't that the way? That's the way we used to do with our comic valentines."

The little girls were not the only ones who came consulting Marian that day. Three rather sheepish boys appeared so promptly after the girls departed, that Marian suspected they had been hanging around waiting for the children to go.

"Say, Marian, do you s'pose you could help us fix up some of those May basket things everybody's talking about?"

"It's a little late in the day, Ernest. How many do you boys want?"