Fourth of July, always a glorious holiday in the Morrison household, came and was celebrated¹ by a family picnic which gave Brother and Sister something to talk about for days afterward². Their sandbox, too, kept them busy and for a long time Jimmie never had to warn them not to touch the gymnasium apparatus³ in the barn.  
Daddy Morrison and Dick and Ralph continued to go every day to the city and Jimmie worked faithfully at his books, determined⁴ to begin the fall school term without a condition. As captain of the football team it was necessary for him to make a good showing in his lessons as well as in athletics⁵.
 
Louise and Grace perhaps enjoyed the vacation time more than any other members of the family. They would be sophomores⁶ when they returned to high school in September, and while they were willing to study hard then, they meant to have all the fun they could before they were bound down to books and lessons again.
 
"Where you going?" Sister asked one night, finding Louise prinking before the hall mirror and Grace counting change from her mesh⁷ bag.
 
"Out," answered Louise serenely⁸, pulling her pretty hair more over her ears.
 
"I know—to the movies!" guessed Brother. "Can't we go? Oh, please, Louise—you said you'd take us sometime!"
 
"Oh, yes, Louise, can't we go?" teased Sister. "I never went to the movies at night," she added pleadingly.
 
"You can't go," said Louise reasonably enough. "We didn't go when we were little like you. Don't hang on me, please, Sister; it's too hot."
 
"I think you're mean!" stormed Brother. "Mother, can't we go to the movies?"
 
Mother Morrison, who had been upstairs to get her fan, was going with Louise and Grace. She shook her head to Brother's question.
 
"My dearies, of course you can't go at night," she said firmly. "I want you to be good children and go to bed when the clock strikes eight. Ralph promised to come up and see you. Kiss Mother good-night, Sister, and be a good girl."
 
Left alone, Brother and Sister sat down on the front stairs. Molly was out and Daddy Morrison and Dick had gone to a lodge⁹ meeting. Jimmie was studying up in his room and Ralph was out in the barn putting some things away.
 
"There's that old clock!" said Brother crossly as the Grandfather's clock on the stair landing boomed the hour.
 
Eight slow, deep strokes—eight o'clock.
 
Sister settled herself more firmly against the banister railings.
 
"I'm not going to bed," she announced flatly. "If everybody can go to the movies 'cept me, I don't think i............