old gentleman,
marshalling his forces when well within. "And Jasper next. Then, Cathie,
you will have a knight on either side."

"Oh, I can't sit between two boys," cried Cathie, forgetting herself in
her terror.

"I won't bite you," cried Clare saucily.

"I will see that Clare behaves himself," said Jasper.

"You'll do nicely, my dear," said Mr. King encouragingly to her; then
proceeded down the aisle after the usher. So there was nothing to do but
to obey. And Cathie, who would have found it a formidable thing to be
stranded on the companionship of one boy, found herself between two, and
Polly Pepper far off, and not the least able to help.

"Now, then," said Jasper, taking up the program, "I suppose father told
you pretty much all that was necessary to know about Irving. Well--" And
then, without waiting for a reply, Jasper dashed on about the splendid
plays in which he had seen this wonderful actor, and the particular one
they were to enjoy to-night; and from that he drifted off to the fine
points to be admired in the big playhouse, with its striking
decorations, making Cathie raise her eyes to take it all in, until Clare
leaned over to say:

"I should think you might give Cathie and me a chance to talk a little,
Jasper."

"Oh, I don't want to talk," cried Cathie in terror. "I don't know
anything to say."

"Well, I do," said Clare, in a dudgeon, "only Jasper goes on in such a
streak to-night."

"I believe I have been talking you both blue," said Jasper, with a
laugh.

"You certainly have," said Clare, laughing too.

And then Cathie laughed, and Polly Pepper, looking over, beamed at her,
for she had begun to be worried.

"The best thing in the world," said old Mr. King, "was to turn her over
to those two boys. Now, don't give her another thought, Polly; she'll
get on."

And she did; so well, that before long, she and Clare were chatting away
merrily; and Cathie felt it was by no means such a very terrible
experience to be sitting between two boys at a play; and by the time
the evening was half over, she was sure that she liked it very much.

And Polly beamed at her more than ever, and Jasper felt quite sure that
he had never enjoyed an evening more than the one at present flying by
so fast. And old Mr. King, so handsome and stately, showed such evident
pride in his young charges, as he smiled and chatted, that more than one
old friend in the audience commented on it.

"Did you ever see such a cha