and set
it swinging. So!" She illustrated and the gay little birds bobbed
merrily up and down.

"They are hung on spiral wires of different lengths, you see, to make
them more lifelike and natural."

Every one was full of delight and amusement now, and one hand after
another poked the poor little birds till they bobbed to a degree
dangerous to their shoe-button eyes.

"It's a variation of the Japanese wind-bell motif," said Mrs. Osgood.
"But I shall wish I were not a trustee, if I must act on such problems
as that."

Algernon took the hoop and put it back into its wrappings.

"I'll write and thank him," he said, "and I don't see any objection to
it. The children will love it. I know Elsmere would."

"We can keep it up for a while and not hurt his feelings," said Bertha,
and as Polly at the piano began to play a waltz, the boys chose partners
and the porch filled with dancing couples.

It proved, however, rather warm for dancing. Polly and Winifred took
turns at the piano, but before long every one was willing to sit and
rest.

"Play that pretty last one again, Polly, and let us listen," begged
Bess. "It's too warm to stir, but you play that so beautifully."

Polly obligingly seated herself at the piano once more in the broad open
window. The light tripping music, unmarred by the sound of sliding feet,
floated over the lawn and across the street and up into the Swinburne
balcony. Suddenly the lazy group on the Osgood veranda caught sight of a
flickering flame high in the neighboring house. Algernon started up, but
Bertha restrained him.

"Watch!" she said. "It's Elsmere. I saw him."

The candle was stuck upon the railing of the balcony. Then capering
about, in little white night-drawers, to the sound of the music, Elsmere
danced, bare-toed, upon his well-waxed floor, the unconscious observed
of all observers. Applause long and hearty rewarded his efforts, and
also brought Maggie to the rescue. As she pounced upon him and knocked
the sputtering candle to the ground, Peter and Perdita, splendid in
starched white linen, appeared in the doorway behind "the party" and
invited every one to come and draw bows and arrows.

Peter held a quiver of arrows, tied with bright ribbons "for the
ladies." His sister at his side offered "the gentlemen" a fine
assortment of bows, with varicolored bow-strings. Bows and arrows mated,
the hunters marched in pairs to the screened-in breakfast room, looking
out over the river.