."

"But why the trip to Europe?" persisted the logical Cleo.

"Oh, you don't have to be so exact," retorted Grace, unwilling to show
defeat. "I was only thinking that when some one goes away--far away,
all sorts of nice things are said about them; and when a girl gets
married her maw" (and Grace drawled the ma) "says she has been a
perfect daughter."

"Oh, I see," Cleo replied, somewhat satisfied at the diagraming, "and
our vacation out at Bellaire is to be a cross between a wedding and a
trip to Europe. I'll take the wedding wing, please," and she hummed
the march that always echoes orange blossoms.

"Wedding ring, you mean. Well, I'll take the port that puts me beyond
criticism, not too far away, of course," qualified Grace. "But do you
know, Cleo, your aunt is a perfect fairy godmother to come to the
rescue now. Think of early summer in the New Jersey mountains! No end
of bunnies and wood nymphs out there!"

"Well, you see, mother and father have to travel this summer, and Aunt
Audrey is going to stay home. Here's Madaline. Let's see what she
thinks about it all. Maybe she'll add the christening to our wedding
and honeymoon," suggested Cleo.

"Oh, girls, you should see the dearest little piccaninny I just saw----"

A gale of laughter interrupted Madaline.

"There!" exclaimed Cleo. "Didn't I tell you she would bring the
christening!"

"What's the joke? One black baby is cute and funny, but not bad enough
to give you two girls a fit," Madaline remarked rather peevishly.

"Oh, come on, Madie," coaxed Cleo, linking her arm into that of the
dimply girl, "we were just waiting for you to decide all the details.
Your dad, and my dad, and Grace's dad may be traveling about all
summer, and our mothers are lovely to let us all go off together. We
have just been saying this vacation promises to be the biggest event in
our lives, next to going on a honeymoon, or having the unlimited joy of
the--those who get all sorts of unsolicited compliments," she patched
up the "far-away" possibilities. "And when you said 'kinky' kid we
thought that supplied the missing link, the christening. But isn't it
glorious to go away out to Jersey in a touring car, with trunks
strapped on----"

"And our feet on a mountain of boxes," put in Madaline with a rather
discounting tone of voice. "Of course, I adore motoring, but I think
we should decide on the exact size and number of hat boxes."

"Practical Packie!" declared C