“No, we must all go now--together,” Vevi insisted. “Miss Mohr said it was important.”
“That’s right,” agreed Connie. “She spoke of a surprise. One from Peter.”
The girls started off, walking in pairs. Vevi and Connie were ahead, followed by the others.
“What surprise could Peter have left for us?” Vevi speculated.
“A package of books perhaps,” Rosemary guessed.
“He may have given the troop a piece of his fine Delft ware,” Sunny declared. “I would like that for a gift.”
Thinking of various possibilities, the girls began to walk faster. Soon they came within view of the library.
“How will we know about the surprise?” Jane asked in perplexity. “Are we supposed to go into the building and ask one of the librarians?”
“Well, if we aren’t dopes!” suddenly cried Vevi.
“The surprise!” cried Vevi. “One can see it a mile away! It’s a wonderful one too!”
The other Brownies were bewildered by the little girl’s words. But only for a moment.
She and Vevi both began to run toward the library.
Then Jane, Rosemary and Sunny joined the race.
The surprise, everyone now knew, was a beautiful flower bed!
As the girls approached closer, they could see it plainly.
The circular bed which Miss Mohr had given to the Brownie Scouts for their very own, now was a mass of blooms.
Yellow and gold and brown tulips blazed in the sunlight. The Brownies never had seen a more gorgeous sight.
“Oh, it’s wonderful!” cried Vevi, dancing about the bed. “Just what I wanted!”
“Look at the center of the bed,” directed Connie.
Mr. Van Der Lann had so arranged the tulips that they resembled the clover-shaped Scout emblem.
The letters “G. S.” were spelled out in bright yellow tulips.
“That stands for Girl Scouts,” commented Jane. “I do wish Mr. Van Der Lann had made a ‘B’ to stand for Brownie.”
“All Brownie Scouts fly up to become Girl Scouts when they’re old enough,” declared Connie. “I like our flower bed just as he made it.”
“So do I,” agreed Rosemary. “I think this is the nicest surprise our troop ever had.”
“How do you suppose Mr. Van Der Lann made the tulips grow so fast?” speculated Jane. “Why, it’s almost miraculous!”
“He couldn’t have planted bulbs, that’s certain,” replied Connie. “I know! He must have brought potted plants from Windmill Farm!”