must stay for the picnic; we wouldn't enjoy it now without
you," urged Joy.

"But Mrs. Stacey might worry. No, I won't start in by causing her
trouble. That wouldn't be right."

"I'll tell you what I'll do," exclaimed Bet. "You girls arrange the
lunch under that tree and I'll run home and telephone Mrs. Stacey.
She'll say yes, I know she will."

Without waiting for Kit's assent, Bet raced up the path, her hair
flying in disorder, then she disappeared in the shrubbery. In a short
time she returned with the good news that Kit was to spend the
afternoon and evening with the girls. Mrs. Stacey was more than
delighted that her young charge had found so congenial a group of
friends. Not having children of her own, she hardly knew what to do
with Kit. And when Bet promised to look after her, she was greatly
relieved, for everyone in Lynnwood knew the bright little daughter of
Colonel Baxter and trusted her.

When Bet returned with the good news, the lunch was already spread.

"Why this isn't a lunch at all!" exclaimed Joy with enthusiasm. "It's
a banquet. And one of Auntie Gibbs' special ones. Isn't she a dear!
She remembered that _I_ liked devilled eggs."

"How you flatter yourself! Don't imagine for a minute that she made
those for you. They were for her own little angel, Bet," said Shirley
with a quiet laugh.

"An angel is the last thing she'd call _me_, Shirley. I know I've been
frightfully contrary lately and I'm not in Auntie Gibbs' good graces.
She said the other day she wished I had come a boy; that boys were lots
nicer."

"The very idea!" cried the girls together. "Boys better than girls!
That's silly!"

"Well if it's boys she likes, you certainly do your best to make her
happy, for you look like a boy--and act like one most of the time,"
teased Joy.

"Thanks for the flattery!" Bet tossed her head with a pretended air of
superiority. "I'd love to be a boy!"

"What would you do?" asked Joy.

"I'd run away to sea!"

"Old stuff! Take a big jump and get up to date!" Joy came back at her
with a snap.

"Why be so old fashioned?" laughed Shirley. "Do something modern!"

"Maybe I'd stow away on an airplane then, going to China."

"That's more like you, Bet Baxter. That sea stuff never appealed to
me. They always were made to work. And there isn't much work on an
airplane," said Joy helping herself to another devilled egg.

"Do unwrap that package there," cried Shirley. "Let's see w