two o'clock," Adele made announcement. "It's
considered the proper thing to eat in the middle of the day on a
holiday, though why, I never could quite understand."

"Why, of course, the reason is, so the children can eat once in a
while," suggested her brother.

"Baby can't come to the table. She's too little, and her table manners
are informal, to say the least. However, the tradition still holds, so
dinner's at two o'clock, and you may as well all go and get dressed,
for it's after one, now. There'll be a few extra guests, so you girls
will have somebody to dress up for."

"I like that," said Roger; "as if we boys weren't enough for any girls
to dress up for!"

"But you've seen all our pretty frocks," laughed Patty. "It's only
strangers we can hope to impress with them now. I shall wear my most
captivating gown, if Mr. Collins is coming. Is he, Adele?"

"Yes, and Mr. Hoyt, too; and two more girls. Skip along, now, and
don't dawdle."

But Patty dawdled on the staircase till Ferris came along, and then
she spoke to him in a low tone. "Chub, you didn't see a stray letter
of mine this morning, did you?"

"'M--what kind of a letter?"

"Oh, a blue envelope, with probably a card inside. I hadn't opened it,
so I don't know what was in it."

"Who was it from?"

"Why, how could I tell, when I hadn't opened it! In fact, that's just
what I want to know."

"What makes you think I know anything about it?"

"Oh, Chub, don't tease me! I haven't time, now; and truly, I want that
letter! Do you know anything about it?"

"No, Patty, I don't. I didn't see any letters addressed to you, except
the bunch you had in your hand. Have you really lost one?"

"Yes," said Patty, seeing that Hal was serious. "Jim told me there was
one for me from Mr. Farnsworth, and I want it."

"Bill Farnsworth! What's he writing to you for? I didn't know you knew
him."

"I don't know him very well; I only met him last summer. And I don't
know that he did write to me; it was probably just a card. But I want
it."

"Yes, you seem to. Why, Patty, you're blushing."

"I am not any such thing!"

"You are, too! You're as pink as a peach."

"Well, I only blushed to make you call me a peach,--and now that I've
succeeded, I'll run away."

So blushing and laughing both, Patty ran upstairs to her own room. Hal
had been so frank that she was convinced he knew nothing about the
letter, and she began to fear it must have been tossed into the fire,