from there and
do the thing up brown," chuckled Pete.

"Maybe society will hold back when we ask them to come to old Dick
Buck's granddaughter's ball," suggested one.

"Don't tell 'em whose ball it is until they get there. That's the way
to catch the snippy ones. Let's don't even tell Miss Judy. It might
make her kind of shy. Just let 'em all get to dancin' an' kinder
warmed up an' then when we got 'em where they can't back out without
bein' mighty rude we'll up an' make speeches an' let the county know
how we stand for that girl an' what she is an' how proud we are of
her," suggested Judge Middleton.

"We'll get all the old boys in town to come in on it. I mean our
crowd, and there won't be one who will give the secret away. And we'll
give that gal a rush that would turn her pretty red head if it
belonged to anybody else--but there is no turning a wise head like
hers."

"We won't let any women in on it either," said Pete.

"Not even the Widow Simco?" asked Major Fitch.

"The women oughter have looked after the gal long ago, and now we men
folks will take it on us. What'll we call the ball?" asked Mr.
Barnes, ignoring the Major's thrust.

"Call it a dayboo party, but jes' don't say whose it is," suggested
Colonel Crutcher. "There'll be plenty of jokes about it an' the smart
Alecks will try to get the laugh on us because they'll be a thinkin'
we don't know what dayboo means an' we'll take the laugh an' keep it
'til we need it. Lets go get the invites struck off over to the
Ryeville Courier right now."

The old men got busy immediately, although it was a lazy morning in
June and the Rye House porch was shady and cool. Recruits were
mustered in until they numbered ten, all anxious and eager to share
expense and glory. First, the skating rink was engaged for the
following Friday night. A caterer in Louisville was next called up by
telephone and supper ordered, "with all the fixin's" that the latest
thing in debut parties demanded. The band was engaged and the
invitations set up in type and printed before the noon whistles blew
for dinner. To be sure, the invitations did somewhat resemble notices
of an auction sale, but what did it matter to the old men of Ryeville,
who were undertaking this party for their favorite girl? This was the
card:

You Are Invited to Attend a Debut Ball
At the Skating Rink on Friday Night
By the Old Men of Ryeville
Dancing and Refreshments Free
R. S. V. P.