d asparagus, with delightful little tea
biscuits, her drooping spirits revived, and she quite forgot that Grandma
had spoken sharply to her.

"You're all right, Kit," said King, approvingly. "I was frightened when
you said you had lost your appetite, but I guess it was a false alarm."

"It was," said Kitty. "I do love sweet-breads."

"And there's custard pudding to come, Miss Kitty," said the maid, who
smiled kindly on the children. In fact, she smiled so kindly that they
all began to feel more cheerful, and soon were laughing and chatting
quite in their usual way.

"What is your name, please?" inquired Marjorie, and the maid answered,
"Perkins."

"Well, Perkins, do you know what we are to do to-morrow? Has Grandma made
any plans for us?"

"Oh, yes, Miss Marjorie; she made the plans some weeks ago, as soon as
she heard you were coming. She is giving a children's party for you
to-morrow afternoon."

"A children's party! How kind of her!" And Marjorie quite forgot
Grandma's disapproving remarks about the soda water escapade.

"Oh, I don't know," said King. "I expect a children's party here will be
rather grownuppish."

"Oh, no, Master King," said Perkins; "there are only children invited.
Young boys and girls of your own age. I'm sure it will be a very nice
party."

"I'm sure of it, too," said Marjorie, "and I think it was awfully good of
her, as we're to be here such a short time."

"Well, she needn't have said I was impertinent, when I wasn't," said
Kitty, who still felt aggrieved at the recollection.

"Oh, never mind that, Kit," said good-natured Marjorie. "As long as you
didn't mean to be, it doesn't really matter."

When the supper was over, Rosamond was sent to bed, and the other three
were allowed to sit in the library for an hour. The ladies were dressing
for dinner, but Grandpa Maynard came in and talked to them for a while.

At first they were all very grave and formal, but by a lucky chance, King
hit upon a subject that recalled Grandpa's boyish days, and the old
gentleman chuckled at the recollection.

"Tell us something about when you were a boy," said Marjorie. "I do
believe, Grandpa, you were fond of mischief!"

"I was!" and Grandpa Maynard smiled genially. "I believe I got into more
scrapes than any boy in school!"

"Then that's where we inherited it," said Marjorie. "I've often wondered
why we were so full of capers. Was Father mischievous when he was a boy?"

"Yes, he was. He used