Page:Carroll Rankin--Dandelion Cottage.djvu/174

 152 , Marjory's Aunty Jane always liked her tea at half past five, but Jean's people did not dine until seven. Owing to the impossibility of capturing all the boys at one time, supper at the Tucker house was a movable feast, so Bettie usually ate whenever she found it most convenient. As for Mabel, it is doubtful if she knew the exact hours for meals at the Bennett house because she was invariably late. After the handkerchief episode, the girls planned that one or another of them should always be in the cottage from the time that it was opened in the morning until it was again locked for the night. The morning after the later quarrel, however, the girls met by previous arrangement on Mabel's doorstep, went in a body to the cottage and, after they were all inside carefully locked the door.

"We'll be on the safe side, anyway," said Jean, "but I shouldn't think that Laura would ever want to come near the place again."