outside and watch the fun. If I'm not invited I can at
least do that."

"Carl McGregor! You'll do nothing of the sort. Hang round outside,
indeed! Haven't you any pride at all? If you're not asked to the
party I should hope you'd have the good taste to keep out of the way of
it. Hang round outside! You ought to be ashamed even to suggest such a
thing," said Mrs. McGregor with scorn. "No, you'll do no lingering on
the outskirts of Mr. John's reception, you can make up your mind to
that. You'll stay politely at home as the rest of us plan to do and
keep under cover so folks won't be asking you why you're not up at
Coulters. I've some regard for the family dignity if you haven't. And
since you'll be at home anyway, you may as well take the chance to do a
kindly deed and let Frankie O'Dowd wear your clothes. You don't want to
grow up to be selfish."

"My pants will be miles too long for that O'Dowd kid," responded the
unwilling altruist grudgingly.

"Oh, his mother can baste them up so they'll do for one afternoon," was
the serene answer.

"Huh! I don't envy Frank going to that party with two thicknesses of
trousers on his legs," Carl declared. "If it's a hot day he'll melt."

"Beggars cannot be choosers," Mrs. McGregor asserted. "Likely Frankie
will be that tickled to go to the lawn party that he won't care what he
has on any more than you would. You'd go quicker than a wink in
basted-up trousers if you got the chance."

"You bet I would! Why, I'd go in--in--in _anything_!" was the fervent
affirmation. "Somehow, Ma, it just seems as if I couldn't give up the
idea of going. I feel as if something _must_ happen so we'd get asked."

"Why, Carl--you silly boy! You don't mean to say you are actually
cherishing the thought you may be invited yet?" his mother exclaimed
incredulously. "Put it out of your head, son, like a sensible lad.
There isn't a chance of it, dear. The invitations were sent out last
week and had you been going to get one you would have received it days
ago. There'll be no more people asked now."

"There might be--some might have been forgotten by mistake. Or the
invitation might have got stuck in the letter box and delayed."

"I'm afraid not, Carlie!" his mother said gently. "Mark my words, all
the invitations there are going to be to that garden party have gone
out. There won't be any more. The folks that haven't had theirs already
won't have none and if you're wise you will face that fact and give