“Am I not proud of my Little Captain?” said Major Dale, leaning on Dorothy’s shoulder as they slowly wended their

way out of doors.

Roger was at her other hand, and Joe nearby. The boys had left their own school a day or two early to come and “see

sister graduate.” Aunt Winnie had congratulated “her daughter,” as she was proud to call Dorothy, too.

“Ned and Nat are only sorry that they could not come. Indeed, I had forbade it. We will go to their college instead

to help them ‘receive’ on Commencement Day,” Aunt Winnie declared.

“And there is a big surprise in store for you, my dear,” she added, pinching Dorothy’s cheek; but what it was we

can only learn when we meet Dorothy and her friends again in “Dorothy Dale in the West.”

Now there was so very, very much to do in getting ready to leave old Glenwood for the last time. The girls had yet

to pack; they would sleep one more night in the old room. Then the class would scatter, perhaps never to meet again!

249 Of course there were hundreds of promises to write and to visit, and plans for the summer were being discussed

right and left. Dorothy felt more serious than she ever had felt before; but Tavia was so excited that she could

scarcely keep both feet on the ground at once.

“You are really glad to leave dear old Glenwood,” said Dorothy, after they had drunk tea with Miss Olaine and come

up to their room again.

“I never did like school as you do, Dorothy. But I love the old crowd, and I’m sorry to lose the fun we have here,

” Tavia admitted.

“The whole world’s before us now,” sighed Dorothy.

“Dish-washing, and sweeping, and bed-making, and all that is before your humble servant,” laughed Tavia. “I’m

going home, as you know, to keep father’s house for him spick and span. Mother will be glad. She hates housework.”

They packed their trunks more soberly than they had ever packed them for removal from the school before. Down from

the walls came every keepsake and picture that they owned.

“Nix on the decorations!” Tavia said. “Jumble them all into the boxes. Never more shall they hang from the

battlements——”

“What a lot of them there are, too!” sighed Dorothy. “Not half room in this box for my photographs.”

250 “We might throw away all the boys’ photographs,” said Tavia, giggling. “You know, we have foresworn boys. Is

that right, Doro?”

“Oh, yes; boys are only a nuisance—except our brothers and cousins. Don’t you say so, Tavia?”

“Sure! And a few thousand more,” she added, sotto voce. “But we’re going to marry twins if we marry at all. That

is decided, Doro?”

“Certainly,” returned Dorothy, gravely.

It was growing late. The nine o’clock bell meant nothing to the girls of Glenwood Hall this night. There was bustle

in every room, laughter in the corridors, and a running back and forth until late. Suddenly Tavia had an idea. It

grew out of the over-cr............