"So leave your game of basket-ball,
And come and make a friendly call,
You'll find a welcome for you all.

"From

"Your Fairy Godmothers."

Peachy wrote her effusion upon a sheet torn from her best pad, folded
it, sought out Olive and handed it to her, telling her to pass it round
the form. The juniors grinned at its contents. They had felt themselves
neglected, but were quite ready to forgive past omissions on the
strength of a present invitation.

"Better late than never," decreed Doris. "I suppose we'll go?"

"It sounds as if it might be rather nice," agreed the others.

So once more the Camellia Buds were placed in the position of hostesses.
Owing to the difficulty of the catering they judged it best to make the
candy before the very eyes of their guests, so that they might see for
themselves how little there was of it and not grouse if the supply only
ran to one bit apiece.

"Otherwise they might think we'd had first go and only given them the
leavings," remarked Peachy, who was a born diplomat.

They had counted on borrowing the spirit-lamp which the seniors used for
brewing their after-dinner coffee, but at the last moment they found the
bottle of methylated spirit was empty.

"What a nuisance! There's no time to send for more. Never mind! We won't
be 'done.' Let's light a camp-fire and cook on that. We must manage
somehow."

"We certainly can't disappoint them!"

"Not after all this fuss."

The back of the summer-house, as being a particularly retired and
secluded spot, was chosen as the rendezvous, and when the nineteen
juniors, interested and appreciative, came fluttering up the garden,
they were met by scouts, conducted round, commanded to squat in a circle
on the ground, and requested to make less noise.

"D'you want the whole of the school to butt in?" warned Jess. "Then keep
quiet, can't you? Much taffy you'll get if Rachel catches us. Your only
chance is to lie low, you little sillies."

"Rachel's playing tennis!" giggled Evelyn Carr.

"There are other prefects as well as Rachel. Pull yourselves together
and don't get so excited."

The juniors, who had been talking at the top of their voices, squealing,
and otherwise raising the echoes, restrained their transports and
contented themselves with whispers and giggles. The Camellia Buds were
fetching fuel, which they had purloined from the gardener's wood-shed.
The