o. How is it done?"

"Everything's in the dining-room and some of the younger ones go down.
But we boys and men go and bring up everything for the older folks.
Maybe I oughtn't to ask you, though," he hesitated. "You're company."

"Let me be one of the family to-night," urged Richard. "I'll bring up
supper for Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Gray and pretend they're my aunt and
uncle, too. I wish they were."

"I don't blame you; they _are_ the jolliest ever, aren't they? Come on,
then. Rosy's looking at us; maybe she'll tell you not to go."

They hurried away downstairs, racing with each other to the first floor.

"Hullo! you, too?" Louis greeted the guest from the farther side of the
table filled with all manner of toothsome viands, where he was piling up
a tray to carry aloft. "Glad to see you're game for the whole show. Take
one of those trays and load it with discretion--weight equally
distributed, or you'll get into trouble on the stairs. You're new at
this job, and it takes training."

"I'll manage it," and the young man fell to work, capably assisted by a
maid, who showed him what to take first and how to insure its safe
delivery.

On his way up, walking cautiously on account of the cups of smoking
bouillon which he was concerned lest he spill, he encountered a
rose-coloured brocade frock on its way down.

"Good for you, Mr. Kendrick," hailed Roberta's voice, full and sweet.

He paused, balancing his tray. "Why are you going down? Won't you let me
bring up yours when I've given this to Unc--to Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Gray?"

"Are you enjoying your task so well? Look out, keep your eye on the
tray! There's nothing so treacherous to carry as cups so full as those."

"Stop laughing at me and I'll get through all right. All I need is a
little practice. Next time I come up I'm going to try balancing the
whole thing on my hand and carrying it shoulder-high."

"Please practice that some time when you're all alone in your own
house."

"I'll remember. And please remember I'm going to bring up your
supper--and my own. May we have it in the place where we were after the
dance?"

"Yes, with six others who are waiting there already. That will be
lovely, thank you. I'll be back by the time you have everything up."

"Of all the hard creatures to corner," thought Richard, going on upward
with his tray. "Anyhow, I can have the satisfaction of waiting on her,
which is better than nothing."

He found it so. The six people in the g