queezed ardently.

Soon the boys were piling out on the ground, and a general handshaking
followed. Those who did not know each other were introduced, and
everybody walked into the house, where a room upstairs had been prepared
for the cadets' reception.

"Now, everyone must feel perfectly at home," said Mrs. Stanhope, who was
being assisted by Mrs. Laning and Mr. Laning. The older folks prepared
the refreshments while the young people sat down in the parlor and the
sitting room.

At first, as at all parties, there was a little stiffness, but this was
soon broken by Tom asking in a solemn voice:

"Say, did anybody bring an iceberg in his pocket? If he did he will
please set it on the kitchen stove to thaw out."

"Oh, Tom!" shrieked Nellie, and all the girls giggled. Then the "ice was
broken" and everybody started to talk at once. Even William Philander
was pleased, for he had discovered a tall, willowy girl who exactly
suited him and who thought him charming.

At first they played half a dozen different games and gave out riddles,
and Songbird recited a poem written in honor of the occasion. The poem
was the best effort he had yet made in the verse line and of course
everybody applauded. Then Grace said he ought to have it published in
the Cedarville weekly paper, and this pleased the poet very much.

"Maybe you can get a dollar a line for it, Songbird," suggested Dick.

"If he can we'll let him divide up with us," added Tom, and this caused
a laugh.

Presently refreshments were announced, and the boys and girls paired off
and entered the dining room. Here a long table was spread, decorated
with autumn leaves and the Putnam Hall colors. There were six colored
candles on the table, each with an elaborate red shade, and the general
effect was warm and pleasing. There were plenty of good things to eat,
including ice-cream frozen into all sorts of forms. When the forms were
passed around, Dick got a drum major, Tom an Uncle Sam, and Sam an
airship. Hans got a fat Dutch boy, which tickled him immensely.

"Dot vos look chust like some poys by der Fadderlandt," he observed.

With the ice-cream came snapper bonbons, filled with all sorts of things
made of paper, and soon one boy was wearing an apron, another a
nightcap, and the like. Dora got a yellow jacket, and Nellie a baker's
cap, while Grace skipped around wearing a poke hat over a foot high.
There was plenty of laughter, and the old folks did not hesitate to j