Who informed Fern of this?
 FERN Mullins rushed into the house on a Saturday morning early in September and shrieked at Carol, "School starts next Tuesday. I've got to have one more spree before I'm arrested. Let's get up a picnic down the lake for this afternoon. Won't you come, Mrs. Kennicott, and the doctor? Cy Bogart wants to go--he's a brat but he's lively." 

"I don't think the doctor can go," sedately. "He said something about having to make a country call this afternoon. But I'd love to." 