ossie and Freddie almost believed him, he seemed so much
in earnest about it.

"You can't come you haven't any invitation," said Flossie, suddenly.

"I'll take one of those you put in the box," went on the mean boy.

"He won't dare--will he?" and Freddie appealed to the mail clerk.

"I should say not!" said the man at the stamp window. "If he does
Uncle Sam will be after him."

"Well, I'm coming to that party all the same!" insisted Danny, with a
grin on his freckled face.

Flossie and Freddie were so worried about him that they told their
mother, but she assured them that Danny would not come to spoil their
fun.

Finally the afternoon and evening of the party arrived, for the little
folks were to come just before supper, play some games, eat, and then
stay until about nine o'clock.

Flossie and Freddie had been dressed in their prettiest clothes, and
Nan and Bert also attired for the affair. The ice cream had come from
the store, all packed in ice and salt, and Dinah had set it out on the
back stoop, where it would be cooler.

Dinah was very busy that day. She hurried about here and there,
helping Mrs. Bobbsey. Sam, her husband, also had plenty to do.

"I 'clar t' gracious goodness!" Dinah exclaimed, "I suah will get thin
ef dish yeah keeps up! I ain't set down a minute dis blessed day. My
feet'll drop off soon I 'specs."

"Will they, really, Dinah?" asked Freddie. "And can we watch 'em fall?"

"Bress yo' hearts, honeys!" exclaimed the colored cook, "I didn't mean
it jest dat way. But suffin's suah gwine t' happen--I feels it in mah
bones!"

And something was to happen, though not exactly what Dinah expected.

Finally all was in readiness for the guests. The good things to eat
were in the kitchen, all but the ice cream, which, as I have said, was
out on the back porch. Flossie and Freddie had gone to the front door
nearly a dozen times to see if any of the guests were in sight. Snap,
as a special favor, had been allowed to stay in the house that
afternoon, for the twins were going to make him do tricks for their
friends.

There came a ring at the door bell.

"Here they come! Here they come!" cried Flossie.

"Let me answer, too," cried Freddie, and they both hurried through the
front hall to greet the first guest at their party.

CHAPTER XIII

AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE

QUICKLY, after the first guests had arrived came the others. Nellie
Parks, Grace Lavine friends of Nan, and Will