e 'ee anything," she said sharply; but there was a twinkle
in her eye, and matters were soon settled satisfactorily. There was to
be a substantial "plate tea" in the kitchen at half-past five, which
would allow plenty of time for the laying of the cloth and other
preparations after Mrs. Pike and Anna had departed. Then they were to
have games and forfeits, and tell ghost stories, and anything else that
came into their minds to do, and a nice supper was to wind up the
evening, and by ten o'clock all signs of their feast were to be tidied
away, and the children were to go as quietly to bed as though Aunt Pike
stood at their doors.

CHAPTER XIII.

AN EXCITING NIGHT.

Had Aunt Pike had even the faintest suspicion of what was to happen
during her absence he would have given up her party then and there and
have remained at home, even though Anna was to receive a prize and to
recite.

But, fortunately for her peace of mind, she suspected nothing, and they
both went off quite cheerful and excited through the cold and mist of
the December evening to the scene of the triumph of Anna's genius--
Anna with her head enveloped in shawls, her feet in goloshes, her muslin
skirts covered with a mackintosh and a fur-lined cloak.

When it came to the moment of departure she felt so sorry for those left
behind that she could not help expressing it. "I wish you could have
come too, and had some of the fun," she said excitedly.

"Do you?" said Betty bluntly. "Well, I don't. So you needn't feel
unhappy about it. We would rather have 'bread and scrape,' or nothing
at all, at home. We shall enjoy ourselves, you may be quite sure.
Don't worry about us," which was wickedness on Betty's part, for she
knew that Anna always suspected that they enjoyed themselves more
without her, and resented it.

And there was no denying that Anna's suspicions were correct.
Before she and her proud mamma had reached the gates of Hillside, Kitty
and Betty had stripped off the detested stockings, and were arraying
themselves in their last summer's muslin frocks, intending to be quite
as partified as Anna; and Kitty tied her hair with a red ribbon, and
Betty's with a blue one to match her turquoise locket, and down they
went to the feast.

Jabez had not yet arrived, but he was momentarily expected. Dan was
already there in his new "Eton's," with a sprig of mistletoe in his
button-hole. Tony was in his best white sailor suit, and Fanny and
Grac