around. The veal loaf was found, a platter of
it tied up in a large napkin, and hot sandwiches between hot plates,
tied up in another napkin, and marmalade sandwiches folded in paraffin
paper by themselves. Last of all were the orange baskets, each one
twisted up in a paper napkin with a funny little frill on top made of
the ends of the napkin; and the dates were in little square paper boxes,
one box for each child.

[Illustration: Jack and the lemonade]

As they began to eat, Jack came up with a big, big pitcher of beautiful
pink lemonade, and little glasses to drink it out of. Oh, such a picnic
as it was! Such a perfectly lovely picnic! Out-of-door picnics were
nothing to it And when they had eaten up every crumb and drank up every
drop, they played games until the attic grew dark; and then they all
went home, and the birthday was over.

CHAPTER V

SUNDAY NIGHT SUPPER

One Sunday afternoon just as the clock struck three, the Blairs'
telephone rang; and after she had answered it, Mother Blair called
Mildred, who sat reading by the window.

"My dear," she said, "do you remember hearing Father speak of his old
friends the Wentworths, whom he used to know so well years ago? Well,
they have come east, and are in town for a day or two, and they want to
come out and see us this very afternoon. Now I should love to ask them
to stay to supper, but if I do, I shall have to stay with them and visit
and can't help you at all; and Norah is out. Do you suppose you three
children could get the supper and serve it all by yourselves?"

"Why, of course, Mother Blair," said Mildred, reproachfully. "Of
_course_ we can! You don't know how many things your children can do
when they try! Now what shall we have? It ought to be something very
good, because they have never been here before."

"We were going to have canned salmon," said her mother, thoughtfully;
"we might scallop that, and have potatoes with it, and perhaps muffins
or biscuits."

"Oh, have muffins, Mother! I have seen Norah make them lots of times,
and I'm sure I could, too, if you give me the receipt."

"Well, you may try," said her mother, "but I think you had better have
some toast ready, too, in case they do not come out right. And what else
can we have? Preserves, I suppose; but, Mildred, all the nice preserves
are gone, because it is so late in the spring. But we might have little
baked custards."

"Yes, in the cunning little brown baking dishes; tho