eled her right
out on the green lawn itself! The green lilac hedge reared all up around
her like a magic wall!

We screamed with joy! The Rich Man jumped when we screamed. The Rich
Man's name was Mr. Trent.

"And Mr. Trent shall be the Black Woman who pushes you all about!" we
screamed.

"I will not!" said Mr. Trent.

But Carol had already tied a black velvet ribbon on the Rich Man's leg
to _show_ that he was!

Our Aunt Esta seemed more encouraged every minute. She stood us all up
in front of her. Even Father. She read from her book. It was a poem. The
poem said:

Now come ye all to the Witch's Ball,
Ye Great, ye Small,
Ye Short, ye Tall,
Come one, Come all!

"I will not!" said the Rich Man.

He sweated.

"Oh Shucks! Be a Sport!" said my Father.

"I will _not_!" said the Rich Man.

He glared.

Our Aunt Esta tried to read from her book and wave her wand at the same
time. It waved the Rich Man in the nose.

"Foul Menial!" waved our Aunt Esta. "Bring in the Captives!"

"Who?" demanded the Rich Man.

_"You_!" said our Aunt Esta.

The Rich Man brought us in! Especially Father! He bound us all up in
silver paper chains! He put a silver paper ring through my Father's
beautiful nose!

"Oh, I say," protested my Father. "It was 'guests' that I understood we
were to be! Not captives!"

"Ha!" sniffed the Rich Man. "Be a Sport!"

They both glared.

Our Aunt Esta had cakes in a box. They seemed to be very good cakes.
"Now in about ten minutes," read our Aunt Esta from her book, "you will
all begin to feel very queer."

"Oh--Lordy!" said my Father.

"I knew it!" said the Rich Man. "I knew it all the time! From the very
first mouthful--my stomach----"

"Is there no antidote?" cried my Mother.

Our Aunt Esta took off her horn-rimmed spectacles. She sniffed.

"Sillies!" she said. "This is just a Game, you know!"

"Nevertheless," said the Rich Man, "I certainly feel very queer."

"When you all feel equally queer," said our Aunt Esta coldly, "we will
proceed with the Game."

We all felt equally queer just as soon as we could.

Our Aunt Esta made a speech. She made it from her little book.

"Poor helpless Captives (said the Speech). You are now entirely in my
power! Yet fear not! If everybody does just exactly as I say, all may
yet be well!"

"Hear! Hear!" said my Father.

The Rich Man suddenly seemed to like my Father very much. He reached
over and nudged him in the ribs.

"