glee.

Then they all went back to the drawing-room, where a pretty game had
been arranged during their absence.

From the chandelier was suspended a large-sized "hoople" that had been
twisted with red ribbon. From this at regular intervals hung, by short
ribbons, candies, cakes, apples, nuts, candle ends, lemons, and sundry
other things.

The children stood round in a circle, and the hoop was twisted up
tightly and then let to untwist itself slowly. As it revolved, the
children were to catch the flying articles in their teeth. Any one
getting a lemon was out of the game. Any one getting a candle end had to
pay a forfeit, but those who caught the goodies could eat them.

Next, after being seated round the room, each child was given a spoon.

Then a dish of ice-cream was passed, of which each took a spoonful and
ate it. In the ice-cream had previously been hidden a dime, a ring, a
thimble, a button, and a nutmeg. Whoever chanced to get the ring was
destined to be married first. Whoever took the dime was destined to
become very wealthy. The thimble denoted a thrifty housewife; the
button, a life of single blessedness; and the nutmeg, a good cook.

Shouts of laughter arose, as they learned that Kingdon would be an old
bachelor, and doubts were expressed when Gladys triumphantly exhibited
the nutmeg.

"You can't ever learn to cook!" cried Dick. "You're too much of a
butterfly."

"Good cooks make the butter fly," said Kingdon, and then they all
laughed again. Indeed, they were quite ready to laugh at anything. For a
Hallowe'en party is provocative of much merriment, and the most
nonsensical speeches were applauded.

They popped corn, and they melted lead, and they roasted chestnuts, and
then some more difficult experiments were tried.

Harry Frost and Marjorie were chosen to "Thread the Needle."

Each held a cupful of water in the left hand, and in the right hand
Harry held a good-sized needle, while Marjorie held a length of thread.
She tried to get the thread through the needle, and he tried to help, or
at least not hinder her; but all the time both must have a care that no
drop of water was spilled from their cups.

The tradition was that if they succeeded in threading the needle within
a minute they were destined for each other; but as they couldn't do it,
Harry bade her a laughing farewell, and offered the thread to Gladys.
They were no more successful, and the game was abandoned as being too
difficult.