rester, Adelaide Cunninghame, Diana Wentworth, John
Fordyce, Edmund Ashford, Frank Abercromby, Ned Russel, and Tom ----"

"The boy is distracted!" exclaimed Betty, staring with astonishment.
"What does all this mean, Master Harry?"

"And who gave you leave to invite company into your grandmama's house?"
cried Mrs. Crabtree, snatching up all the notes, and angrily thrusting
them into the fire. "I never heard of such things in all my life before,
Master Harry! but as sure as eggs is eggs, you shall repent of this, for
not one morsel of cake, or anything else shall you have to give any of
the party; no! not so much as a crust of bread, or a thimbleful of tea!"

Harry and Laura had never thought of such a catastrophe as this before;
they always saw a great table covered with every thing that could be
named for tea, whenever their little friends came to visit them, and
whether it rose out of the floor, or was brought by Aladdin's lamp, they
never considered it possible that the table would not be provided as
usual on such occasions, so this terrible speech of Mrs. Crabtree's
frightened them out of their wits. What was to be done! They both knew
by experience that she always did whatever she threatened, or something
a great deal worse, so they began by bursting into tears, and begging
Mrs. Crabtree for this once to excuse them, and to give some cakes and
tea to their little visitors, but they might as well have spoken to one
of the Chinese mandarins, for she only shook her head, with a positive
look, declaring over and over again that nothing should appear upon the
table except what was always brought up for their own supper--two
biscuits and two cups of milk.

"Therefore say no more about it!" added she, sternly. "I am your best
friend, Master Harry, trying to teach you and Miss Laura your duty, so
save your breath to cool your porridge."

Poor Harry and Laura looked perfectly ill with fright and vexation when
they thought of what was to happen next, while Mrs. Crabtree sat down to
her knitting, grumbling to herself, and dropping her stitches every
minute with rage and irritation. Old Andrew felt exceedingly sorry after
he heard what distress and difficulty Harry was in, and when the hour
for the party approached, he very good-naturedly spread out a large
table in the dining-room, where he put down as many cups, saucers,
plates, and spoons as Laura chose to direct; but in spite of all his
trouble, though it looked very g