group in the center of the room and
addressing a small, fair girl, said, "Good afternoon, Miss
Boothington."

The girl turned and seeing Mr. Ludlow, exclaimed, "Mr. Ludlow, I am so
glad you are here. I did want you to hear my singing and criticize.
You will, will you not?"

"Miss Boothington, that shall be as you please. But now let me present
you to a little friend of mine. This," remarked Mr. Ludlow, turning to
Dorothy, "is Miss Dorothy Calvert, and Dorothy, this is my ward, Miss
Ruth Boothington. Miss Boothington sings, and will be one of our
companions on your trip."

"I am so glad to meet you, Miss Calvert," replied Miss Boothington.

"As we are to be so much together, please call me Dorothy if you
will," interrupted Dorothy.

"And you will call me Ruth," Miss Boothington remarked. "I know we
shall have some very fine times together. And you are a solo
violinist?"

"Yes, I play the violin," answered Dorothy. "Are you going to sing
to-day?"

"Yes," answered Ruth. "At least I am going to try to."

"Here, here. That will never do, Miss Ruth. You should have said that
you would sing. Of course you would sing," remarked Mr. Ludlow.
Turning to Dorothy, he said, "Well, Dorothy, I think I shall leave you
here with Miss Boothington. I guess she can take care of you. I am
going to the front and will sit with your Aunt Betty."

With that Mr. Ludlow left the two girls and walked out and around
front where he looked for Aunt Betty.

"Is this the place? My, ain't it big!" exclaimed Alfy, as Aunt Betty
and Jim followed her to the door.

"I have our tickets here," remarked Jim, presenting them to the
doorkeeper.

"I guess we shall have to go right in and get our seats," added Aunt
Betty. "Keep close to me, Alfy, and Jim, you see that Alfy doesn't get
lost."

They were at last ushered into a large box on the right side of the
house.

"My, what a lot of seats. Is there going to be people in all of them?"
asked Alfy, leaning so far out of the box that she almost fell over
the rail.

"Here! You sit still," sharply corrected Jim. "And, Alfy, try to act
like a young lady, not like a back-woods little girl. Sit still."

Alfy reluctantly subsided and appeared to be rather angry. Aunt Betty,
noticing this said, "Watch me, Alfy, and do as I do and you will be
all right."

"Good-afternoon, Mr. Ludlow," said Jim, making room for him.

"Good-afternoon, all," answered Mr. Ludlow, seating himself next Aunt
Betty.

"D