hat wardrobe trunk of yours like you
expected a cold winter in Jamaica. Have a bag ready, too, and a
traveling dress handy."

"But why, Torchy?" she insists.

"Leave it to me," says I. "We'll be up about 8:30."

"We?" she asks.

"Now be good," says I, "and you may be happy. Also get busy."

You see, I figured that what she didn't know she couldn't worry about,
nor discuss with Auntie. Besides, it was all too hazy in my head for
me to sketch it out very clear to anyone.

Honest, I don't see now how I kept from gettin' things bugged, for I
sure was crashin' ahead reckless. I felt like I'd been monkeyin' with
a flyin' machine until I'd got it started and had been caught somewhere
in the riggin' with nobody at the wheel. But I was glad of it.

Mr. Robert helped out wonderful. When I stops packin' my suitcase long
enough to remark, "But say, if it does work, where am I headed for?"
he's right there with the useful information.

"Here!" says he. "Your tickets and drawing-room reservation. It's a
nice little place up in Vermont--quiet, refined, comfortable, all that
sort of thing. Train at 10:45."

"Oh!" says I. "Then that's all right. Lemme see, where's that other
sock?"

Say, I'd even forgot who all I'd asked to be on hand. That was what I
was checkin' up when I rode past Auntie's floor on the elevator. I
finds Vee some excited and more or less curious.

"Please," says she, "what is it all about?"

"It's a little game," says I, "entitled ditching Jamaica. There'll be
some of our friends here directly to join in."

"Torchy," says Vee, starin' a bit scared, "you--you mean that-- Anyway,
I should change my frock, I suppose?"

"If you do," says I, "couldn't you make it that pink one, with the
flimsy pink hat?"

"You goose!" says she. "If you like, though. Why, there is someone
now!"

"That'll be Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ellins," says I. "You'll have to show
speed."

Trust Vee. Just the' same, I don't know where there's another girl
that could dress for the big event in less'n half an hour, while the
guests was arrivin'. Next came Mr. Robert's sister, Marjorie, towin'
her Ferdie along. Aunt Zenobia and my Uncle Kyrle and Aunt Martha
breezed in soon after, with Old Hickory and Mrs. Ellins right behind
'em. Then Piddie, who'd put on his evenin' clothes over in Jersey at
5:30 and had been on the trolley most of the time since.

No, it wasn't a big mob, but it was a heap better than havin' som