r their
conduct on that occasion.

"We won't speak of it," said the colonel. "You wouldn't do it again, I'm
sure, nor shirk the matter afterwards. Certainly" (with a twinkle in his
eye) "you vanished like the wind, and I shall expect to have a wonderful
exhibition of such running capabilities on the cricket-ground. It's an
excellent pitch, and if you don't make a record I shall be surprised."

With both Charlie and Hilda Chester he was more than pleased, and hoped
they might be frequent visitors at the Chase if they returned to
Silversands, while he extended a hearty and kindly welcome to all the
young guests, who echoed Bertie Rokeby's opinion that it was "the most
ripping party that ever was given."

The first half of the afternoon was devoted to cricket, which, I really
believe, the colonel enjoyed as much as his visitors; it recalled his
old school days, and he had many a tale to tell of matches played fifty
years ago on the fields at Eton by boys who had since made their mark in
life. Tea was served in the large dining-room, which looked cool with
the light falling through the stained-glass window at the end on to the
white marble statues which stood in recesses along the walls. It was "a
real jolly tea--not one of those affairs where you get nothing but a
cucumber sandwich and a square inch of cake, and have to stand about and
wait on the girls!" as Bertie Rokeby ungallantly observed, but a
sit-down meal of a character substantial enough to satisfy youthful
appetites, and lavish in the matter of ripe fruit and cakes. Mrs.
Stewart took care that Ruth and Edna Barrington, who, for a wonder, had
come unattended, were well looked after, and provided with such few
dainties as they permitted themselves to indulge in, being under a
solemn pledge to their mother to abstain from all doubtful dishes. There
were crackers, although it was not Christmas time, and a pretty box of
bon-bons laid beside every plate; but I think the leading glory of the
table was the birthday cake, which, according to Charlotte Wright,
reminded one of a wedding or a christening, so elaborate were the
designs of flowers and birds in white sugar and chocolate on its iced
surface, while the letters of Isobel's name were displayed on six little
flags in red, white, and blue which adorned the summit.

After tea came a variety of sports for prizes--archery, quoits, jumping,
vaulting, and obstacle races, in the latter of which considerable
ingenuity h