aid Patty. "She seems to
have no taste for society. Why, I don't suppose she'd care to take part
in our play, even if we invited her."

"Oh, what about the play?" said Elsie. "Have you really decided to have
a play, instead of that stupid old fair?"

"We haven't decided anything," said Patty, "we can't until the club meets
to-morrow."

"Oh, do have a play," said Frank, "and then us fellows can take part. We
couldn't do anything at a bazaar, except stand around and buy things."

"And we're chuck-full of histrionic talent," put in Guy. "You ought to
see me do Hamlet."

"Yes," said Frank, "Guy's Hamlet is quite the funniest thing on the face
of the earth. I do love comedy."

"So do I," said Guy, "I just love to play a side-splitting part
like Hamlet."

"Then you may have a chance," said Marian, "for one of the plays we're
thinking about--and it isn't exactly a play either--brings in a whole lot
of tragic characters in a humourous way. It's a general mix-up, you know:
Hamlet, and Sairy Gamp, and Rip Van Winkle, and Old Mother Hubbard, and
everybody."

"Yes, that's a good one," said Marian; "it's called 'Shakespeare at the
Seashore.'"

"The name is enough to condemn that piece," said Mr. Fairfield; "not one
of you can say it straight."

And sure enough, though numerous attempts were made, and much laughter
ensued, none entirely successful.

CHAPTER XI

PREPARATIONS

With the instincts of a true hostess, Patty had slipped from the room
unobserved, and had held a short Confab with her two trusty servitors in
the kitchen.

"But, Miss Patty," expostulated Mancy, "dey ain't nuffin' fit to set
befo' dem fren's ob yo's. Dey ain't nuffin' skacely in de house, ceptin'
some bits ob candies an' cakaroons le' from yo' las' night's supper."

"Well, that's all right," said Patty; "let Pansy arrange those nicely on
the dining-room table. Use the silver dishes, Pansy, and fix them just as
I told you."

"Yes, Miss Patty," said Pansy, "but there aren't very many left."

"Well, then, Mancy, I'll tell you what: you make us a nice pot of
chocolate, and fix us some thin bread and butter, and cut up some of the
fruit cake to put with those little fancy cakes; won't that do?"

"Yas'm, I spec' so; but it's a mighty slim layout, 'specially for dem
hearty young chaps. But you go 'long, honey, I'll fix it somehow."

And, sure enough, she did fix it somehow; for when, a little later, Patty
invited her young friends out