rocesses I
was wondering about.--The thing, of course, is worth any money--if it
works!"

"If it works?" cried our Aunt Esta.

The Rich Man jumped up and strode fiercely to the Dining Room door.

Our Aunt Esta strode fiercely after him, only littler. Our Aunt Esta is
_very_ little.

The Rich Man waved his arms at everything,--the boxes,--the
bundles,--the angel-wings,--the cloaks,--the suits,--the Chinese
Lanterns.

"All the same, the thing is perfectly outrageous!--The size of it!--The
extent! No house would hold it!"

"It isn't meant," said our Aunt Esta, "to be played just in the
house.--It's meant to be played on a sunny porch opening out on a green
lawn--so that there's plenty of room for all Posie's little playmates to
go swarming in and out."

The Rich Man looked queer. He gave a little shiver.

"My little daughter Posie hasn't got any playmates," he said. "She's too
cross."

Our Aunt Esta stood up very straight. Two red spots flamed in her
cheeks.

"You won't be able to keep the children away from her," she said, "after
they once begin to play this game!"

"You really think so?" cried the Rich Man.

Out in the kitchen my Father looked at my Mother. My Mother looked at my
Father. They both looked at us. My Father made a little chuckle.

"It would seem," said my Father, "as though it was the honor of the
whole family that was involved!" He made a whisper in Carol's ear. "Go
to it, Son!" he whispered.

Rosalee jumped to her feet. Carol jumped to his feet. I jumped to my
feet. We snatched hands. We ran right into the Dining Room. Carol's face
was shining.

"Who's going to be Posie-with-the-Sick-Bones?" I cried.

"S--s--h!" said everybody except our Aunt Esta.

Our Aunt Esta suddenly seemed very much encouraged. She didn't wait a
minute. She snatched a little book from her pocket. It was a little book
that she had made herself all full of typewriter directions about the
Game.

"_Someone_, of course," she said, "will have to be the Witch,--someone
who knows the Game, I mean, so perhaps I--?"

We rushed to help her drag the old battered tricycle to the Porch! We
helped her open up every porch door till all the green lawn and gay
petunia blossoms came right up and fringed with the old porch rug! We
helped her tie on the Witch's funny hat! And the scraggly gray wig! And
the great horn-rimmed spectacles! We helped her climb into the tricycle
seat! We were too excited to stay on the porch! We whe