hem both. They are to be ready to go on a
picnic Saturday morning at ten o'clock."

"Oh, but--" gasped Phyllis.

"And in the meantime they are not to worry about their guests. They
have all been invited and they have all accepted," the voice went on,
"and they are not to worry about food either, for the luncheon has all
been attended to." The voice stopped.

"Is that you, Mr. Keith?" Phyllis demanded, but a laughing "good night"
was her only answer.

She flew back to the snuggery to tell Janet the news, and they both
went down to the library to tell Auntie Mogs. She did not look as
surprised as she might have been expected to, but they were too excited
to notice that.

"What do you suppose he means?" Phyllis demanded. "Where can we be
going?"

"Auntie Mogs, do say something," Janet begged.

"Wait and see,"--Miss Carter laughed, and they had to be content with
that.

Saturday dawned clear and warm; the sun beamed and spread his rays to
the farthest corner of the sky. It looked as though some one had
ordered a day for a picnic, and Dame Nature had done her best to
satisfy them.

At ten o'clock the girls heard loud tootings, and Janet, who was
putting on her hat, hurried to the window.

"Oh, Phyl, do look; three automobiles full of every girl and boy you
ever knew."

They rushed downstairs, and Mr. Keith met them at the door.

"All ready?" he inquired. "Come along, Miss Carter; we will lead the
way."

The girls were too excited to answer. They followed their aunt to the
waiting cars, where a babble of greetings met them. Mr. Keith helped
Miss Carter into the first one, and the girls into the second.

"Go ahead," he called to the chauffeurs, and jumped in after them.

Phyllis could see that Mrs. Vincent was in the last car. She smiled
and waved to her.

Daphne and Chuck and Jerry and Howard were in their car, and they
squeezed up to make room for Janet and Phyllis. Mr. Keith sat in the
front beside the driver.

A buzz of questions and speculations rose from every car, but no one
seemed to have the least idea where they were going.

They picked their way carefully through the city streets, but once in
the country they flew along. Towns whizzed by, and at last they slowed
up for Poughkeepsie, crossed the river on the ferry, and snorted up the
hill on the other side.

As they reached the top of a hill and began the descent everybody said
"Oooooh," for beneath them and on every side was a