robably it is better to go on," said Lilli, after a few seconds'
reflection, during which she looked exceedingly charming. She and
Lisbeth made no attempt at having figures, but their faces are perfect,
and their long tails of hair are fair and glossy as the silk of American
corn.

When the twins left us to our own devices, I was for simply washing
hands and faces; but Phil fiercely tore off her blouse, and made herself
pink with the effort of unearthing another from our box.

"What does it matter about changing?" I asked. "There's no time, and
they don't expect it. Besides, our things are as good as theirs--except
Miss van der Windt's. _She's_ very smart--to make up for her plainness."

"That's just the point," said Phil, struggling into a white, medallioned
blouse that fastened as intricately as the working of a prize puzzle.
"I've taken _such_ a dislike to her, and she to us."

"How do you know?"

"I can't tell how. But I do know. And I want our frocks to be prettier
than hers. _Do_ change, like a pet. I'll hook you up, if you'll do me.
Come, you _might_. You _would_ bring me abroad."

"Oh, all right!"

So I changed. And by dint of supernatural speed we were ready to leave
our green-and-pink doll's bedroom just as a Japanese gong moaned an
apology for supplying us with dinner instead of tea.

Once in a "blue moon" Phil and I are invited by some one to dine at the
Carlton or the Savoy, or at houses where the dinners are long and
elaborate; but memories of those dinners pale before the reality of this
at the Villa van Buren, in a handsome, shut-up dining-room.

There were _hors d'oeuvres_, and shell fish, and soup, and another kind
of fish; and after that began a long procession of meat and birds,
cooked in delicious, rich sauces. There were so many that I lost count,
as Noah must when he stood at the ark door to receive the animals as
they came along, two by two; but these were a little easier to keep
track of, because you could remind yourself by saying: "That was the one
done up in currant juice; that was the one with compote of cherries,"
and so on; which, of course, Noah couldn't.

Phil's capacity and mine was exhausted comparatively early in the feast,
but everybody else was eating steadily on, so we dared not refuse a
course, lest it should be considered rude in Holland. We did our best,
straight through to a wonderful iced pudding, and managed a crumb of
spiced cheese; but when raw currants appeared,