This was generous of Mamie, for Grant was the one who had passed her by so recently. But Katy's eyes were also distanced and Mamie had been very much thrilled by hearing that Ernest might go to Annapolis. Further, he had chosen her twice that evening. She felt amiably disposed toward Ernest's sister.
When the tales of past glories were exhausted, the conversation grew intermittent, being punctuated by frequent yawns. They were just on the point of dropping off to sleep when Mamie suddenly opened her eyes and sat up in bed with a jerk.
"Music! Don't you hear it? I shouldn't wonder if some of the boys were out serenading. Oh, I do hope they'll come here."
Katy and Chicken Little listened breathlessly.
All three hopped out of bed and crouched down by the window. The moon was setting, but there was still a faint radiance. The strains were growing more distinct.
"I bet it's Grant Stowe and his two cousins from the Prairie Hill district. They are staying all night with him and are going to the picnic to-morrow. Don't you remember that red-headed boy?"
"It sounds like a banjo and guitar," said Katy. "Oh, I do love a guitar. It always makes me think of 'Gaily the troubadour.'" Katy gave a wriggle of delight at this romantic ending to the night's festivities. She was already planning to tell the girls at home about the wonderful serenade.
The tinkle tinkle of the thin notes grew stronger and clearer and they found that a third instrument, which had puzzled them, was a mouth organ.
"I didn't suppose anybody could really make music with a mouth organ, but it goes nicely with the others." Chicken Little, like Katy, was more excited over the serenade than the party. It seemed so delightfully young ladyfied.
The trio had one awful moment, for the music seemed to be dying away and still there was no human in sight. Suddenly it stopped altogether. They listened and waited--not a sound rewarded them.
"I think it's downright mean if they've gone by." Mamie's tone was more than injured.
The words were hardly out of her mouth when a stealthy foot-fall came directly beneath their window, and guitar, mandolin, and mouth organ burst forth into "My Bonnie," supported after the opening strains by half a dozen boyish voices.