ht down to the bottom of the second Fall,--they are all good
climbers. When they've got a good start,--say twenty minutes, I call up
the second contingent, the little pets and Edith's youngsters and start
them down. You will go with these as chaperone and camp at the foot of
the first Fall. We must explain to Miss Bibby that your wing extends
over both Falls and that she as well as the little pets are brooded
beneath it. I've already bespoken two caddies from the links to carry
the hampers, and they will have plenty of exercise going up and down the
steps. As host I shall endeavour to divide myself equally between my two
divisions of guests. And probably the exercise between the two tables
will rid me of any superfluous flesh I may have about me."

"Well," laughed Kate, "it is one way out of the difficulty. I certainly
should not have thought of anything myself but of postponing one party
until another day."

"No," said Hugh complacently, "it takes the strategy of a general or a
genius to fix up little things like this."

Four breathless figures came dashing over the road and through the
"Tenby" gate round to the side verandah.

"Oh, oh," said Lynn imploringly, "you have finished your tea, haven't
you? Miss Bibby wouldn't let us 'sturb you before."

"We counted up to a thousand to give you time," said Pauline, "and _we_
could eat enough tea in a hundred and fifty--unless there were drop
cakes."

"We've got to go to bed in ten minutes," said Muffie tragically.

"We're coming," shouted Max, and he flourished the rhymed blue telegram
that he had carried about all day.

"Did you get our answers?" cried Lynn.

"We paid for them ourselves," said Pauline. "Miss Bibby just wanted to
send one answer and say 'All accept with pleasure'! But we just
_wouldn't_, and we all went to the post and we told the woman just what
to put, and it would have been a lot better only we didn't have much
time to think, only while we walked up the hill, and Lynn did the most,
'cause she can always think of the rhymingest words, and we'd have made
them much longer only we could only afford ninepence each, and we had to
lend Max threepence, 'cause he'd only got sixpence left."

She stopped for sheer lack of breath.

"Ninepence each!" cried Kate, "and you once thought of writing some
articles on teaching Thrift to young Australia, Hugh!"

"But that was before I was really acquainted with young Australia," said
Hugh.

"Did you like them?