Ida knew exactly the nature of the task she had taken in hand, and found it easier than it would have been to the ordinary young lady.

She jotted down the names of some twenty little girls, selecting such as were between the ages of eight and twelve, and obtained promises that all should be ready at a fixed hour next Saturday.

She met with doubts and objections and difficulties enough, but only failed in one or two instances.

Then followed fresh talks with her grandfather, and all the details were arranged.
There was rain on the Thursday and Friday, but when Ida drew up her blind at six o'clock on Saturday morning, the sky gave promise of good things.

She was walking in the garden long before breakfast-time, and gladdened to rapture as she watched the sun gain power, till it streamed gloriously athwart cloudless blue.