spection.

Mr. Phelps had come with the others, and if the young men were pleased at
the picture the three girls presented, Miss Aurora herself was no less
so.

"My," she said, "you do look fine, I declare! Now, I'll tell you what
I'll do; I'll make each of you young ladies a present of the gown you
have on, if you care to keep it. I'll never miss them, for I have trunks
and chests full, besides those you saw, and I'm right down glad to give
them to you. You can wear them sometimes at your fancy dress parties."

The girls were overjoyed at Miss Bender's gift, and Bertha declared they
would wear them home, and she would send over for their other dresses the
next day.

So, donning their wraps, the merry modern maids in their antique garb
made their adieus to Miss Aurora, and were soon in the big motor-car
speeding for home.

CHAPTER XVII

A SUMMER CHRISTMAS

Although they had intended to stay but a fortnight, Patty and Elise
remained with the Warners all through the month of June, and even then
Bertha begged them to stay longer.

But the day for their departure was set in the first week of July, and
Bertha declared that they must have a big party of some kind as their
last entertainment for the girls.

So Mrs. Warner invited a number of young people for a house party during
the last few days of Patty's stay.

"I wish," said Bertha, a few days before the Fourth, "that we could have
some kind of a party on the Fourth of July that would be different from
just an ordinary party."

"Have an automobile party," suggested Roger, who was present.

"I don't mean that kind," said Bertha, "I mean a party in the house, but
something that would be fun. There isn't anything to do on Fourth of July
except have fireworks, and that isn't much fun."

"I'll tell you what," said Mr. Phelps, who was at Pine Branches on one of
his flying visits, "have a Christmas party."

"A Christmas party on Fourth of July!" exclaimed Bertha, "that's just the
thing! Mr. Phelps, you're a real genius. That's just what we'll do, and
we'll have a Christmas tree, and give each other gifts and everything."

"Great!" said Roger, "and we'll have a Yule log blazing, and we'll all
wear our fur coats."

"No, not that," said Bertha, laughing, "we'd melt. But we'll have all the
Christmas effects that we can think of, and each one must help."

The crowd of merry young people who were gathered at Pine Branches
eagerly fell in with Bertha's plan