ggestive of painful memories. Then,
as if anxious to change the conversation from its somewhat personal
channel, he asked, pointing to a row of grinning heads above the wall,
"Do you shoot at those?"

Bab and Betty looked up quickly and recognized the familiar faces of
their friends peering down at them, like a choice collection of trophies
or targets.

"I should think you'd be ashamed to peek before the party was ready!"
cried Bab, frowning darkly upon the merry young ladies.

"Miss Celia told _us_ to come before two, and be ready to receive folks,
if she wasn't down," added Betty, importantly.

"It is striking two now. Come along, girls," and over scrambled Sally
Folsom, followed by three or four kindred spirits, just as their hostess
appeared.

"You look like Amazons storming a fort," she said, as the girls came up,
each carrying her bow and arrows, while green ribbons flew in every
direction. "How do you do, sir? I have been hoping you would call
again," added Miss Celia, shaking hands with the pretty boy, who
regarded with benign interest the giver of little cakes.

Here a rush of boys took place, and further remarks were cut short, for
every one was in a hurry to begin. So the procession was formed at once,
Miss Celia taking the lead, escorted by Ben in the post of honor, while
the boys and girls paired off behind, arm in arm, bow on shoulder, in
martial array. Thorny and Billy were the band, and marched before,
fifing and drumming "Yankee Doodle" with a vigor which kept feet moving
briskly, made eyes sparkle, and young hearts dance under the gay gowns
and summer jackets. The interesting stranger was elected to bear the
prize, laid out on a red pin-cushion, and did so with great dignity, as
he went beside the standard-bearer, Cy Fay, who bore Ben's choicest
flag, snow white, with a green wreath surrounding a painted bow and
arrow, and with the letters W. T. C. done in red below.

Such a merry march all about the place, out at the Lodge gate, up and
down the avenue, along the winding-paths till they halted in the orchard
where the target stood and seats were placed for the archers, while they
waited for their turns. Various rules and regulations were discussed,
and then the fun began. Miss Celia had insisted that the girls should be
invited to shoot with the boys, and the lads consented without much
concern, whispering to one another with condescending shrugs--"Let 'em
try, if they like, they can't do anyth