ery gratefully; rightly hailing this civility as an omen for good.
The flowers were next bestowed carefully in a glass of water, to be in
safety till the play should be over.

Now began the fun of robing and disrobing. The ladies pinned up their
silk skirts into order and quiet compass, and pulled on over their arms
and shoulders whatever boys' gear would fit. Faith was jaunty in a
little cloth jacket which covered her arms; Miss Essie wrapped about
her a plaid travelling shawl of the Squire's. Mrs. Stoutenburgh
deferred her disguising till she should need it, being in the first
place to be the catcher, not the caught. Mr. Linden on his part chose
to rely on his own resources for safety, but two or three of the boys
tied on shawls and scarfs--soon discarded in the melee.

If Sam's intent was to have a steady game of running, never to produce
results--unless fatigue and laughter--he had well chosen the first
'catcher.' Mrs. Stoutenburgh's powers of entanglement lay not in that
line, though she ran about with the most utter good will and merriment.
But how the boys jumped over her arms!--or dived under them! How Sam
caught her round the waist, and even kissed her, regardless of danger!
She might have been playing till this time, if Mr. Linden had not
interposed and gallantly suffered himself to be caught.

"We'll have to step round now, I tell _you!_" said one of the
boys,--"this'll be another guess sort of a run!"

"Look out for yourself now, Miss Faith!" said Reuben--both which things
were profoundly true and necessary. And Faith soon found out that she
was the quarry--and that pigeons were of no avail. Whether Mr. Linden
had heard her steps about his sick room till he had learned them by
heart,--whether the theory of 'spirits touching' held good in this
case,--he gave her a swift little run round the room, and shut her up
gracefully in the corner. Then with the simplicity which characterized
most of his proceedings, disregarding jacket and cap, he took hold of
her hand and inquired,

"Miss Faith--do you consider yourself disguised?"

The soft laugh which it was impossible to keep back, answered to his
ear, as the flush which overspread Faith's face answered to eyes of the
rest of the company.

"That will do to begin with," he said as he took off the plaid ribband,
while Mrs. Stoutenburgh laughed and clapped her hands after her own
lively fashion.

"But Miss Faith!" said Sam--"don't tie up your head, please!--i