Philip hastily whispered to Patty how they were to come down.

She understood quickly, and as the second line was drawled out they
stood at the top of the stairs. Then when Hal said, "Jack fell
down----" there was a terrific plunge and Philip tumbled, head over
heels, all the way downstairs, with the big copper bucket rolling
bumpety-bump down beside him. He was a trained athlete, and knew how
to fall without hurting himself, but his mad pitching made it seem
entirely an accidental fall. In the screams of laughter, the last line
could scarcely be heard, but when Hal said, "And Jill came tumbling
after," Patty poised on the top step, leaning over so far that it
seemed as if in a moment she must pitch headlong. Her fancy dance
training enabled her to hold this precarious position, and as she
stood, motionless, a beautiful tableau, everybody applauded.

"All over!" cried the Lord of Misrule, after a moment. "Curtain's
down!"

There was only an imaginary curtain, so considering herself dismissed,
Patty came tripping downstairs, and the broken-crowned Jack stood
waiting to receive her.

"Good work!" he commented. "How could you stand in that breakneck
position?"

"How could you take that breakneck fall?" she queried back, and then
they sought a nearby seat to witness the next "play."

"Now," said the Lord of Misrule, "we will have a thrilling drama by
Miss Dow and--well, she may select her own company."

"I choose Jim Kenerley," said Daisy, suddenly remembering a little
trick they used to do in school. A whispered word was enough to recall
it to Jim's mind, and in a twinkling he had snatched a gay silk
lamp-shade from an electrolier and clapped it on his head, and draped
around him a Bagdad couch cover. Then he caught up a big bronze dagger
from a writing-table, and he and Daisy went to the staircase landing,
which was almost like a stage. Seemingly, Jim was a fearful bandit,
dragging a lady, who hung back with moans and cries.

On the landing, he brandished the dagger fearsomely, and Daisy knelt
before him, begging for mercy. At least, her attitude denoted that,
but all she said was: "A B C D," in a low, pleading voice. "E F G!"
shouted Jim, dancing about in a fierce fury.

Daisy threw out her arms and fairly grovelled at his feet, begging, "H
I J K." "L M!" shouted Jim; "N O!"

Then Daisy's pretty hair became loosened from its pins, and fell, a
shining mass, down her back.

Jim clutched it. "P Q R!" he yelle