"She didn't know."

"Did she say who was going?"

"As far as she knew the crowd of fellows consisted of Brassy and two or
three of his chums at the Hall and some young fellows around town."

"And what about the girls, Fred?"

"They asked Jennie Mason and Ida Brierley to go and a number of the other
girls from Clearwater."

"Did they ask May?"

"Mary wasn't sure. But she rather thinks that May and Ruth both got an
invite, although in some kind of roundabout way. Did Ruth say anything to
you about it?"

"Not a word. But Martha did. She, too, thought Ruth had an invitation,
but she didn't mention May."

"I wonder if May and Ruth will go?" questioned the youngest Rover. He was
almost as chummy with Spouter's cousin as Jack was with Ruth.

"I'm sure I don't know, Fred. But I do know I'd hate to see either of
them going out with such a fellow as Brassy."

"It will be a shame to have any of those girls associate with him!" burst
out Fred indignantly. "He's not in their class at all--he's altogether
too loud and flashy."

"He certainly sports a lot of cheap jewelry," was Jack's comment. "And
that suit of clothes that he had on when he first came to the Hall was a
scream."

"Let's go around to the livery stable and see if we can find out
something about the party."

The place Fred had in mind was located on a side street less than a block
away, and it did not take the two young officers long to reach it. They
found the livery-stable keeper out, but one of his assistants came
forward to see what they wanted.

"Hello, Waxy," cried Jack cordially, for he had met the young fellow many
times before. "How are you these days?"

"Fine as a spider's web," answered Waxy, with a grin.

"I understand you're going to use your two big sleighs for a party this
week for some of our fellows?" went on the young captain.

"Yes, both sleighs are hired for Thursday or Friday night," was the
answer. "But you could get 'em for any other night you might want," went
on Waxy, with an eye to business.

"Where is the party to be held?" questioned Fred.

"I don't know exactly. They're to go about twelve miles out of town, so I
was told."

"Some young fellows from town helping to get it up, I believe?"

"Yes. Tom Drake, Bill Fenny, Joe McGuire, Ted Rosenblatt, and a bunch of
others are interested. They'll have one high old time, you believe me,"
went on the livery-stable keeper's assistant, with a grin.

"Rather a lively bunch,