d Nancy, I am
sure, will give a little solo."

"Oh, does Nancy sing or play?" Mrs. Paxton asked, in surprise, for thus
far Nancy had not exhibited her talent, whatever it might be.

"She will give you a solo that shall be neither singing nor playing,"
Mrs. Dainty replied, with a quiet smile.

"How very interesting!" said Mrs. Paxton. She had invited Dorothy to
sing because other guests had expressed the wish to hear her.

Here was a _second_ child with talent of _some_ kind! Well, Floretta's
imitations of other people would certainly eclipse the efforts of the
other little girls! Mrs. Paxton's sole idea in arranging the
entertainment was for the purpose of showing Floretta's mimicry.

A small figure paused a moment in the doorway, then stepped back, and
peeped out, scanning the groups upon the piazza.

"She isn't there!" he whispered. "She's backed out, an' she _said_ she'd
do it!"

He drew back into the shadow, and waited, hoping that when he looked
again he might see her.

A second peep at the guests on the piazza showed that Floretta was not
among them.

"She didn't _try_ to do it!" he muttered.

He held something in his hand, which he kept behind his back.

He was about to peep again when a light hand touched his shoulder.

He turned, and there stood Floretta, looking prettier than usual in her
short white frock, white shoes, and pink hair ribbons.

"Did you get one?" whispered Jack.

"Look!" said Floretta, and from behind her back she produced a long
corn-cob. "I took mine from the table at noon, when ma wasn't looking,
and ran from the dining-room, and hid it in our room," said Floretta.
"How did you get yours?"

"I asked the head waiter to get mine for me," said Jack, "and he acted
as if he thought me a ninny. He gave it to me all the same, and asked
what I was up to. I didn't tell him, though."

They giggled softly.

"Ready?" whispered Jack, softly.

"Yes," whispered Floretta, and then, with corn-cobs held to their
mouths, and their fingers working as if playing upon flutes, they
marched out on to the piazza, loudly singing, "Hail Columbia."

Some of the guests laughed, none so loudly as Mrs. Paxton, who declared
that it taxed her intellect to imagine what put such outrageously funny
notions into children's heads.

"I can answer that, madam, and without trying very hard, either. It's
Satan, madam, Satan, who from watching their actions, takes them to be
his near relatives," said Mr. Cun