never knew you were through. When did you come into the
room, just now?" asked Alfy.

"Yes, Alfy, just now, and if I'm not mistaken, there is Gerald tooting
his horn outside--he must be hailing us," remarked Dorothy. The girls
quickly donned their coats, bid good-bye to Frau, and departed.

Dorothy exclaimed in delight, "Look, look, Alfy, its dear Aurora, she
must have come too! Oh, you dear, dear girl, I am so glad to see you!"
And Dorothy embraced her, fondly kissing her several times. "Alfy,
this is Aurora Banks, Gerald's sister. Aurora, you have heard me speak
of Alfaretta many times, I am sure."

"Oh, I am so glad to know you," heartily responded Aurora, "Dorothy is
always talking of you."

"Well, Jim, now I know what the surprise is," laughed Dorothy, "its
Aurora."

"Now, that's all wrong," warned Gerald, "altogether wrong."

"No it isn't, is it Jim?" remarked Dorothy.

"Well, yes and no," tactfully put in Jim. "The real surprise is
this,--Aunt Betty has ordered a luncheon for all of us, a farewell
luncheon for you, Dorothy, and we are all invited; so let's hurry
home. I'm hungry for one."

"And I--I am most near starved," cried Alfy.

The young people reached home just as luncheon was ready, and my! what
a luncheon it was; all declared there never was a finer.

CHAPTER IV.

IN NEW YORK.

"Good-bye--good-bye--dear old Bellevieu," sang Dorothy. "Good-bye all
for a long, long time, for to-day has my career begun."

Aunt Betty looked sadly at the dear old home and felt very loathe to
part from it and its comforts.

Then all, Dorothy, Alfaretta, Jim and Aunt Betty, waved fond farewells
to the faithful old force of servitors who stood lined up in the
doorway.

"Oh, Jim, boy," wailed Alfaretta, "we will soon be in New York and
then I shall have to say good-bye to you for, goodness only knows how
long it will be before I see you again."

"That's right, Alfy dear," replied Jim, "always look for trouble. Just
think of the good times we'll all have in New York before Dorothy
really starts to travel."

"Well, I suppose I might have thought of that, but I didn't," answered
Alfy.

"There is only a short drive now to the station," added Aunt Betty,
"and I think you could get our tickets, Jim. Take this money and get
four tickets for New York on the noon train, I think we have plenty of
time to catch it."

"I am so sorry that Herr and Frau are not with us. I just hate to go
without him. It hard