“We’ll certainly have the park to ourselves today,” declared Miss Gordon.
The Brownies selected the shortest route to the tree house. Their way took them past a stone grill, across a rustic bridge and then down a long series of steps cut in the side of the steep slope.
“The house is still there,” declared Connie in relief as they presently came within view of it.
Before Miss Gordon could warn the girls not to run, she was off, with Connie close behind.
Breathless, the two reached the base of the giant oak.
Again she was first. Two steps ahead of Connie she arrived on the tiny balcony. Waving at the other girls on the ground, she ducked into the tree house.
Immediately she gave a loud yell, which told those below that another surprise awaited them.
The girls hastened up the stairway as fast as they could.
Upon reaching the doorway, they instantly saw why Veve was so excited.
During their absence, a table and six sturdy chairs had been added to the little house. Also, a corner shelf had been built to hold books or miscellaneous articles.
“Our wish came true!” cried Veve, quite carried away. “Now what do you say?”
“Who do you suppose did it?” murmured Jane in awe.
The others, however, did not share her belief that the park superintendent had contributed the furniture.
“I can’t understand it,” Miss Gordon remarked, deeply puzzled. “Girls, where were you standing when you made the wish for table and chairs?”
“At the foot of the stairway by the oak tree,” supplied Veve promptly. “But no one except the Brownies heard the wish.”
“Someone must have,” insisted the leader. “Even though we saw no one near, a person could have been hidden back among the bushes. It gives me a queer, uneasy feeling to think about it.”
“I think it’s nice to have an unknown good fairy doing things for us!” laughed Connie.
Thrilled by the latest gift for their house, the girls set to work “moving in.” Miss Gordon had made a pair of dainty red and white dotted curtains which exactly fitted the window.
From home, Rosemary had brought one of her mother’s handmade rag rugs for the floor. Connie, Eileen and Rosemary contributed dishes which they arranged attractively in the cupboards.
“Oh, if Mr. Karwhite only allows us to stay here, we’ll have grand times,” Connie declared gaily.