without me for the three days,--she's going to stay at the Camp. Just
think, if we hadn't gone up there again, I couldn't have known about
it in time!"

"How lucky! Carita, I think you are the nicest birthday present that
was ever thought of."

Carita looked up in surprise.

"Having you and Knight and the boys here is my birthday gift from
Uncle," Blue Bonnet explained. "Wasn't it downright grand of him to
plan it?"

"It's sweet of you to want us," Carita returned. "And your uncle looks
as if he loved to do nice things. He has the kindest eyes I've ever
seen."

"Except your father's," Blue Bonnet added. "I think they must both
have been cut out by the same pattern."

Alec, who was in the secret, had assembled everybody on the veranda
awaiting the arrivals, and the hubbub that ensued as the cavalcade
dismounted and everybody exchanged greetings, convinced Susy, Ruth and
the General that life in Texas was quite as exciting as it had been
painted.

Mrs. Clyde, having been prepared by Uncle Cliff for this invasion,
tried to view the proceedings as a matter of course, and was her usual
cordial self.

"Where are we going to put them all?" Blue Bonnet asked in an
undertone.

"Shady and Uncle Joe put up a tent as soon as you rode off," her
grandmother explained. "The boys are used to camping out and there are
only two nights to plan for. Carita can share Sarah's room. Lisa has
enlarged the dining-room table, and we shall have room for all. I hope
we can make our guests comfortable."

"Don't you worry, Grandmother. These guests will make the best of
everything. People out here don't expect things to be--orderly, as
they are in Woodford."

"Evidently not!" was Grandmother's unspoken thought.

"Where's Kitty?" asked Blue Bonnet presently, missing one saucy face
from the group on the side veranda where they had all gathered.

"Didn't she go with you? We haven't seen her for an hour or more,"
replied Sarah.

"Here she comes now." Alec rose and went to assist Kitty from her
horse. "Hello, Miss Unsociable," he said. "Fancy riding all by your
lones! Been keeping a tryst?"

"Nothing so romantic," she confessed. "I've been gathering these
lovely wild vines to decorate the table with. See how pretty they
are!" She tossed the big armful of glossy green stuff down to him. To
her surprise and indignation Alec dodged her offering and let the
vines fall in a heap on the ground. Kitty paused in the act of
dismounting and