the
doorway, where she could see both girls at once.

"The little flowered one, I guess," said Lucile, struggling with her
hair. "I haven't worn it yet and Dad raves about it."

"I wish you would wear the blue one," Evelyn suggested. "I think it's the
prettiest thing you have."

"But I've worn it so much," Lucile objected. "I don't want to be known by
my dress."

With apparent irrelevance, Jessie called out from the other room, "Jack
loves blue."

Instead of looking confused, as she knew was expected of her, Lucile
answered, readily. "I'll wear it then, of course. Phil likes blue, too."

Evelyn and Jessie exchanged glances and the latter laughed
aggravatingly.

"Evelyn, what have you done with my tan shoes?" cried Jessie, searching
wildly under the bed. "I'm sure I put them in their place, and they're
nowhere to be seen," and she sat back on her heels to glare menacingly
about her.

"Here they are," called Lucile from the other room. "You left them here
last night. Hurry up! I'm all ready now."

They were pictures of youthful loveliness as they began to descend the
stairs--Evelyn, in her snowy white, looking for all the world like a
plump and mischievous little cherub, and Jessie in the palest pink, which
set off and enhanced her fairness. But it was to Lucile that all eyes
instinctively clung. The soft curls framing the lovely, eager face; the
color that came and went with each varying emotion; the instinctive grace
with which she carried her proud little head, won her admiration wherever
she went.

All this, and more, Jack was thinking as he watched the trio descend. He
and Phil were occupying a strategic position, from which they could see
but not be seen; in fact, they had left the front door slightly ajar with
that very end in view.

"It seems very strange," Lucile was saying as they reached the foot of
the stairs, "that we haven't heard any breakfast bell. If it's as late as
the boys say it is, everybody ought to be up."

Then she flung open the door and came upon the boys, seated on the
railing of the veranda, apparently engrossed in conversation. The girls
gasped with amazement at sight of the boys, and the boys gasped with very
genuine admiration at sight of the girls.

"Wh-what----" began Lucile, bewildered. "I thought you and Phil were
going for a walk."

"So we are," said Jack, easily. "We were only waiting for you."

"Phil," Lucile turned accusingly to her brother, "this is some trick y