the Thursday Club will meet here next Wednesday," said
Patty; "unless I am otherwise engaged."

For she just happened to think, that on that day she might be again
attempting to earn her fifteen dollars.

"What's the Thursday Club? Mayn't I belong?" said a pleasant voice, and
Mr. Hepworth came in.

"Oh, how do you do?" cried Patty, jumping up, and offering both hands.
"I'm so glad to see you. Do sit down."

"I came round," said Mr. Hepworth, after greeting the others, "in hopes I
could corral a cup of tea. I thought you ran a five-o'clock tea-room."

"We do," said Patty, ringing a bell nearby. "That is, we always have tea
when Nan is home; and we can just as well have it when she isn't."

"I suppose you young people don't care for tea," went on Mr. Hepworth,
looking a little enviously at the merry group, who, indeed, didn't care
whether they had tea or not.

"Oh, yes, we do," said Patty. "We love it. But we,--we just forgot it. We
were so engrossed in organising a club."

But the others did not follow up this conversational beginning, and even
before the tea was brought, Elise said she must go.

"Nonsense!" said Patty; "don't go yet."

But Elise was decided, so away she went, and of course, Roger went too.

"And I'm going," said Kenneth, as Patty, having followed Elise out into
the hall, he joined them there.

"Oh; don't you go, Ken," said Patty.

"Yes, I'd rather. When Hepworth comes you get so grown-up all of a
sudden. With your 'Oh, how do you do?' and your _tea_."

Kenneth mimicked Patty's voice, which did sound different when she spoke
to Mr. Hepworth.

"Ken, you're very unjust," said Patty, her cheeks flushing; "of course I
have to give Mr. Hepworth tea when he asks for it; and if I seem more
'grown-up' with him, it's because he's so much older than you are."

"He is, indeed! About twelve years older! Too old to be your friend. He
ought to be calling on Mrs. Fairfield."

"He is. He calls on us both. I think you're very silly!"

This conversation had been in undertones, while Elise was donning her hat
and furs, and great was her curiosity when Patty turned from Kenneth,
with an offended or hurt expression on her face.

"What's the matter with you two?" she asked, bluntly.

"Nothing," said Ken, looking humble. "Patty's been begging me to be more
polite to the goldfish."

"Nonsense!" laughed Patty; "your manners are above reproach, Ken."

"Thanks, fair lady," he replied, with a Chesterfield