ras_? I tasted it
once and 'twas ripping."

"I like it, too, rather," said Nell in a contemplative voice. "I mean to
be a fairy in the dance, though, and I'll have wings. Wings! how I wish
they'd bear me upward."

"Oh, do come out," exclaimed Boris. "I want to show you my dove's cage;
it was ever so musty, but I've cleaned it out, and it's as sweet as a
nut now."

The children left the room, and a few moments later Hester and Molly
returned to the Grange.

That evening Annie Forest had a very comprehensive scheme drawn out with
regard to the proposed characters which the different members of the
party were to adopt. Molly would make an ideal shepherdess. Hester was
to be in white, and was to represent St Agnes. Nora was to be Queen of
the Fairies, and Nan little Bo-Peep. Annie had not yet decided on her
own character, but was strongly inclined to act the part of a gipsy.
Annie further suggested that it would save a great deal of trouble and
have a decidedly pretty effect if all the girls under twelve years of
age were dressed as white fairies, with wings, and all the boys of the
same age as brownies. She considered that so many fairies and brownies
would have a very picturesque effect, and would help to throw up the gay
_bizarre_ colours of the older girls and boys.

Her suggestion was immediately adopted, and Hester and Molly sat down
then and there to write invitations.

Besides the Lorrimers, about a hundred and forty other children were
invited, and the girls expected that quite sixty or seventy of these
would take the parts of fairies and brownies.

"You don't know how relieved the mothers will be," exclaimed Annie.
"When people have no imagination it is the most difficult thing in the
world to think of a dress for a fancy ball which has not been adopted
dozens and dozens of times before. Please keep the notes open for a
moment, Hester, for I mean to slip into each of them some very simple
directions with regard to the dress, which will insure our having a
certain amount of uniformity."

Annie was in her element now, and even Molly was constrained to admire
the absolute genius which she showed in all matters which required tact
and brisk, quick work. Annie could write fluently, and her little slips
of paper, with their simple and plain directions, were soon ready, and
Molly and Hester set to work making copies of them as fast as they
could. The letters of invitation were all posted before they went to bed