displeased.

"We heard you girls had been seen planning some deep-laid scheme, as you
came down the street," went on Will Ford, the brother of Grace, "and we
followed. Where is my sainted sister? Making fudge or looking to see if
some one is going to treat to sodas?"

"I wouldn't get many sodas if I depended on _you_," observed Grace, with
pointed sarcasm.

"Save me!" ejaculated Will, pretending to hide behind Percy. "Don't let
them harm me, will you, old man?"

"Stop!" remonstrated the slim chap, for Will was rather violent in his
action, and Percy Falconer was anything but robust. "Besides, you are
wrinkling my coat," he added.

"Shades of Beau Brummel!" murmured Roy Anderson, rather tousled in
appearance, but with a wholesome, boyish look about him, "Save the
wrist watch, Will."

"Say, what's the idea?" asked Mollie, a bit slangily. "Are you going to
ask us out? If you are we can't go, for we have important business to
transact."

"Yes, fellows, this is the annual session of the Associated Chocolate
Fiends," spoke Will. "If you interrupt you'll be fined a box of
caramels."

The laughing boys and girls crowded into the library. It was not an
unusual occurrence for them all to thus gather at Betty's home, which
seemed to be a rendezvous for such little parties. But the boys seldom
came in such numbers.

"I wonder why they brought that--Percy," whispered Betty, when she had a
chance at Grace's ear.

"No danger--they didn't _bring_ him--he _attached_ himself," replied
Grace. For, be it known, Percy was not very well liked. The boys did not
care for him because of his too well-dressed appearance, and his lack of
appreciation of manly sports. And the girls did not like him--well, for
as much a reason as anything, because Betty did not care for him.

Percy Falconer was, or imagined he was, very fond of Betty. And, to tell
more of the truth, Betty distinctly did not care for Percy, though he
tried to show her attentions. Now if it had been Allen Washburn, the
young law student--well, that is an entirely different story. But as
Allen was present on this occasion, the presence of Percy was rather
mitigated.

"Girls, we've got news for you!" exclaimed Will, when he and the others
had more or less carefully distributed themselves about the library.
"Fine and dandy news!"

"The best ever!" added Henry Blackford, with a nod at Amy, who still
clung to her modest place behind the palm.

"And, if you're real good