Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/256

238 the Anstruthers’ boat. It went on the cruise to Mt. Desert, and its being here means that Philip and Tom will be back soon with the ‘Balloon,’ and cousin Edward,  too. Dear me, how gay it will be! The reading club will languish for the present, there will be so many  other things to do.”

“The reading class?”

Miss South looked interested, and this time it was Julia who undertook the task of explanation. She told Miss South all about their pilgrimage to Marblehead, and  the interesting things that they had heard from Amy  about the ancient landmarks, and made it clear that out  of this had come their great desire to read rather more  serious books than they were in the habit of reading in  the summer.

“Why, I thought that you were in the habit of reading rather serious books!” and Miss South smiled appreciatively on Julia.

“Oh, it was n’t started for Julia,” said Brenda, pleasantly, “nor for Amy, who has read nearly everything, it seems to me. But it was for persons like me, whose heads are half empty, that the reading class was started.”

“Oh, Brenda!”

“Yes, Julia, it’s so. Generally, I should n’t care to read in the summer. But this class is n’t so bad, because we ’re not obliged to read the same books, nor the same  amount every week. Perhaps, in spite of the wedding, I can make a spurt some day when I feel industrious, and  catch up with you and Amy.”