nd fly off in a hurry?"

"_You_ could," said her father, smiling. "And probably we all could. But
Grandma Sherwood couldn't get ready for six starving savages in such
short order. Moreover, I fancy Mother has a larder full of good things
here that must be eaten by somebody. What shall we do, Helen?"

"I don't know, Ed. I'll leave it to you. Plan anything you like."

"Then I'll leave it to the children. Speak up, friends. Who would you
like to ask to eat Thanksgiving dinner with you?"

The children considered.

"It ought to be somebody from out of town," said Marjorie. "That makes
it seem more like a special party."

"I'll tell you!" exclaimed Kitty. "Let's ask Molly Moss."

"Just the one!" cried Marjorie. "How'd you come to think of her, Kit?
But I 'most know her people won't let her come, and there isn't time,
anyway."

"There's time enough," said Mr. Maynard. "I'll call them up on the
long-distance telephone now. Then if Molly can come, they can put her on
the train to-morrow morning, and we'll meet her here. But I doubt if her
mother will spare her on Thanksgiving Day."

However, to Mr. Maynard's surprise, Mrs. Moss consented to let Molly go,
and as a neighbor was going on the early morning train, and could look
after her, the matter was easily arranged.

Marjorie was in transports of glee.

"I'm truly sorry, Mother," she said, "that you can't have your own
company, but, as you can't, I'm so glad Molly is coming. Now, that fixes
to-morrow, but what can we do to-day to have fun?"

"I think it's King's turn," said Mr. Maynard. "Let him invite somebody
to dine with us to-night."

"That's easy," said Kingdon. "I choose Dick and Gladys. We can telephone
for them right away."

"They don't seem much like company," said Marjorie, "but I'd rather have
them than anybody else I know of."

"Then it's all right," said Mrs. Maynard, "and, as they're not formal
company, you'd better all change those partified clothes for something
you can romp about in."

"Yes, let's do that," said Kitty. "I can't have fun in dress-up things."

And so it was an informal lot of children who gathered about the
dinner-table, instead of the guests who had been expected.

But Mr. Maynard exerted himself quite as much to be entertaining as if
he had had grown-up companions, and the party was a merry one indeed.

After dinner the young people were sent to the playroom, as the elders
were expecting callers.

"Tell me about Molly Mo