"The bird had finished his little feast and stood nonchalantly
preening his feathers.

"Caruso!"

The mocker lifted his head and gave a short whistle. Then he went
on with his interrupted toilet.

Nelson Randolph laughed softly.

"Caruso!" began Doodles again. "Caruso!"

The bird looked up and whistled as before.

Doodles bent closer. "Can't you sing 'Auld Lang Syne' for Mr.
Randolph? He has never heard it, you know."

The mocker stretched a wing and let go a mellow strain.

Softly Doodles began to sing,--

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?"

The bird had stood listening, and now caught tip the air with
vigor, carrying it on with a surety that was as astonishing as it
was delightful.

Nelson Randolph shook his head in admiration. "Marvelous!" he
cried; "marvelous!" He put his hand in his pocket--"I wish you
liked pennies!" he laughed.

"His pennies are meal worms," said Doodles with a grimace. "I'll
get him one."

"Ugh! How can he?" laughed Miss Crilly, as the bird disposed of the
dainty.

His reward seemed to incite him to further song, for straightway he
launched into a gay little medley that set his hearers laughing and
admiring at once.

"The birthday supper is ready!" announced Blue informally from the
door of the dining-room.

Doodles ran quickly to Miss Lily's side and they took place at the
head of the little procession.

Colonel Gresham and Mrs. Adlerfeld came next.

"Oh, I'm so glad!" thought Juanita Sterling, catching a sight of
the little Swedish woman's happy face.

The company speedily divided itself into two's, and Miss Sterling,
with a bit of a heart flutter, found herself walking beside the
president of June Holiday Home. Just ahead were Patricia and
David. Where was Polly? She and David were always
together--everywhere. But now she and Leonora were side by side.
Strange!--but wonderings were lost in the pleasant calls of the
occasion.

In the smallish dining-room a long table gave seats to everybody,
and no one was crowded.

Nothing elaborate had been attempted, all was simple and homelike.
Except for the curious decoration above the seat of honor, and the
birthday cake with its pink and white frosting, there was little to
distinguish it from an every-day repast.

Talk and appetite went merrily hand in hand, and the "birthday
girl," as Polly and Doodles