th
which "the Little Mother's boys" responded to "a bid" to Middies' Haven
was an unending source of wonder to most people and certainly to her
school-girl guests.

Eight midshipmen, came tramping up the stairs, eager to welcome old
friends and ready to meet new ones upon the old ones' recommendations.

To Peggy, Polly and Nelly the happy, laughing, joking lot of lads were
an old story, but the influx came near turning some of the other girls'
heads.

Juno was sorely divided between Douglas Porter's splendid figure and
Durand's irresistible charm, until Miss Juno began to absorb the full
significance of "class rates" and gold lace. The "five-striper" or head
of the entire brigade was a well set-up chap and rather good looking,
though suffering somewhat from a bad attack of "stripitis," as it was
termed in Bancroft Hall. He was fairly efficient, a "good enough fellow"
but not above "greasing," that is, cultivating the officers' favor, or
that of their wives and daughters, if thereby ultimate benefits accrued
to himself.

The three-striper of Ralph's, Jean's and Durand's company whom Mrs.
Harold had asked to escort Stella, was an all-round popular man, and a
great favorite of Mrs. Harold's for his irreproachable character, sunny,
lovable disposition and unfailing kindness to the underclassmen.

The others who crowded the room are old friends.

Jean Paul and Rosalie chattered like a pair of magpies. Natalie was the
happiest thing imaginable as she and Bert Taylor, who had found the
little golden-head most enticing, laughed and ran each other like old
chums. Peggy was everywhere, and although Durand strove to break away
from Juno in order to "get in a few" with Peggy, he was held prisoner
with "big Doug" until Guy Bennett the five-striper arrived and promptly
appropriated her. Then Durand got away.

Gordon Powers devoted himself to Nelly, while Ralph hovered over Polly,
for they had endless interests in common.

"And you made the crew, Ralph!" cried Polly. "Maybe I wasn't tickled
nearly to death when you wrote me about it. And you're out for
basketball too? How did you come out in Math and Mech? And who's taken
Gumshoe's place this year? And you never wrote me a word about Class
President Election, though I guess I've asked you in every letter. What
makes you so tight with your news, any way? I write you every little
thing about Columbia Heights. Come across with it."

Ralph turned crimson. Polly looked first baf