go places where the eats
aren't forthcoming."

"Men! Are you referring to this Babbling creature now?" interposed
Carol.

"Ouch!" said Lark.

"But won't it be rather--poky--just sitting in the front room by
yourselves all evening?" asked Prudence doubtfully, ignoring the
offended twins.

"Oh, I dare say it will. But it's the proper thing to do," said Fairy
complacently.

"What are you going to do all evening?" Connie wanted to know. "Just
sit and look at each other and admire yourselves?"

The twins thought this very clever of Connie, so they both said "Ouch!"
approvingly.

"Why, no, baby dear," said Fairy good-naturedly. "We shall talk.
Feast our souls with a flow of reason, you know. We shall converse.
We shall hold pleasant intercourse."

"Wouldn't it be more fun to have the girls in for a little while?"
This from Prudence.

"Oh, it might,--but it wouldn't be the proper thing at all. College
men do not care to be entertained by babies."

"No," snapped Lark, "the wisdom of babies is too deep for
these--these--these men in embryo."

This was so exquisitely said that Lark was quite restored to amiability
by it. "In embryo," had been added to her vocabulary that very day in
the biology class. It was only the sheerest good fortune which gave
her the opportunity of utilizing it so soon. And Carol said "Ouch!"
with such whole-souled admiration that Lark's spirit soared among the
clouds. She had scored!

"And what shall we serve them?" urged Prudence. "I suppose it would
hardly do to--pop corn, would it?"

"No, indeed. Popping corn is very nice for the twins and the little
boys in the neighborhood." Fairy smiled with relish as she saw the
twins wince at this thrust. "But Babbie and I-- Oh, never! It
wouldn't do at all. Now, oyster stew and crackers,--I mean wafers,----"

"Oysters are fearfully expensive, Fairy," objected the frugal Prudence.

"Oh, we can stand it for once," said Fairy easily. "This is the first
time, and we must do something extra. Babbie is all the rage at
school, and the girls are frantic with jealousy because I have cut
everybody else out. To be honest about it, I can't understand it
myself. Babbie's such a giddy scatter-brained youngster, you'd think
he'd prefer----"

"Do you like him, Fairy? Don't you think he's tiresome? He talks so
much, it seems to me."

"To be sure I like him. He's great fun. He's always joking and never
has a sensible thought, and h