ice-cream was served in little melons with candied
cherries on top was expressive of great bliss.

But the crowning surprise of the dinner was the birthday cake.

Perkins brought it in on a great silver platter, and placed it in front
of Judy with a flourish.

"Oh, oh, isn't it lovely," cried all the little girls.

"That's great," from Launcelot and Tommy.

"Perkins' _chef d'oeuvre_," was the Captain's comment, and the Judge
and the doctor and Mrs. Batcheller added their praises.

It really was a beautiful cake. The icing foamed up all over it like
waves, and on the very top of the sugary billows was placed a little
candy sailboat, as nearly like the lost "Princess" as Perkins could
procure.

"Oh, how perfectly beautiful," said Judy. "How did you think of it,
Perkins?" and she smiled at him in a way that set his old heart
a-beating.

"You're to cut it, Miss," he said, handing her a great silver-handled
knife. "There's a ring in it, and a thimble and a piece of money."

"Oh, I hope I'll get the ring," said little Anne, then blushed as
Perkins said: "That means you'll get married, Miss."

"And the one who gets the thimble will work for a living, and the one
who gets the money will be rich, isn't that it?" asked Judy, as she
stuck the knife in. "Oh, it seems a shame to cut it, Perkins. It is
so pretty."

Launcelot found the thimble in his slice, the money--a tiny gold
dollar--was in Nannie's, while to Judy came the turquoise ring.

"You see you can't escape," said Launcelot, softly, as she turned the
blue hoop on her finger. "Fate doesn't intend you for an artist."

"Well, I intend to be, whether fate does or not," she insisted. "I
guess I can do as I please."

"Anne, you can have the thimble," said Launcelot, rolling it across the
table-cloth to her. It was a beautiful little gold affair, and she
loved to sew.

"I shouldn't mind being an old maid and working for a living," she
said, surveying it contentedly, "if I could have Becky and Belinda to
live with me."

"I'm glad I am going to be rich," said Nannie. "I shall travel and
have a new dress every week."

"Huh," boasted Tommy, "I am going to get rich, if I didn't find the
money in the cake."

"Sailors don't get rich," said the Captain. "It's a poor profession."

"Aw, a sailor," stammered Tommy, getting very red, "I'm not going to be
a sailor. I'm going to learn typewriting, and go to the city in an
office."

And thus ended the Cause