you," Louise added, turning to the stranger.
Carie held up her mouth for a kiss, and then allowed herself to be led
away.

"At any rate I know their name is Hazeltine," said Carie's friend to
herself.

The culprit was soon in a fair way to think she had done something
very funny and interesting, people made such a fuss over her, so Aunt
Zelie carried her off to be solemnly reproved.

"I suppose you are going to the party to-morrow, aren't you?" asked
Elsie Morris, a neighbor and friend, who had been helping in the
search.

"Of course," answered Bess. "I am glad you came home in time, Elsie;
Aleck is going to stay in and go with us."

"There are to be fireworks and lanterns and all sorts of things,"
observed Aleck, who lay at his ease in the hammock.

"Yes, I know," said Elsie, "and everybody is to have a--I don't know
what you call it--something to remember the party by. Annie May told
me herself."

"How nice! It will be almost like Christmas," said Louise.

"Not like one of Uncle William's parties, though," put in Carl.

"School begins next week, and three months of pegging before
Christmas," groaned Aleck.

"Come on, then; let's make the most of the time we have," Carl urged
energetically.

It was the afternoon of the next day, and Louise stood before the
mirror critically viewing her sash.

"Why, Joanna! You have made Bess's bows ever so much longer than
mine."

"I can't see what difference that makes," was the rather sharp reply,
for the September day was warm and the task of dressing three restless
young ladies for a party was not conducive to coolness.

"It makes a great deal of difference to us, for we wish to look
exactly alike," said Louise loftily. "And if you are going to do a
thing at all, you ought to do it well; Father says so."

"Dear me! Here comes Ikey, and we are not ready," exclaimed Bess, who
stood at the window.

"You might be if you weren't so particular. I never saw the beat of
your equal," and Joanna whisked Helen's dress over her head.

"The _beat_ of your _equal_," Bess repeated. "What does that mean,
Jo?"

"My patience!" was the only reply to be had from this much-enduring
maid.

"Joanna is cross; I'll get Aunt Zelie to tie my sash," said Louise,
running off, followed by Bess.

Their aunt was in the lower hall with Ikey, who was looking dignified,
if not a trifle stiff, in a new standing collar. Louise decided that
he needed a rose in his buttonhole, and danced awa