y direction, and torpedoes were thrown
from one boat to another until the ammunition was exhausted.

Then the merry crowd trooped back to the house for luncheon.

"I never had such a lovely Fourth of July," said Patty to her kind
hostess. "Everything is different from anything I ever did before. This
house is just like Fairyland. You never know what is going to happen
next."

After luncheon the party broke up in various small groups. Some of the
more energetic ones played golf or tennis, but Patty declared it was too
warm for any unnecessary exertion.

"Come for a little walk with me," said Roger, "we'll walk down in the
grove; it's cool and shady there, and we can play mumblety-peg if you
like."

"I'll go to the grove," said Patty, "but I don't want to play anything.
This is a day just to be idle and enjoy living, without doing anything
else."

They strolled down toward the grove, and were joined on the way by Bertha
and Mr. Phelps, who were just returning from a call on Abiram.

"I think Abiram ought to come to the Christmas party to-night," said
Bertha, "I know he'd enjoy seeing the tree lighted up."

"He shall come," said Dick Phelps, "I'll bring him myself."

"Do," said Patty, "and we'll tie a red ribbon round his neck with a sprig
of holly, and I'll see to it that there's a present on the tree for him."

The quartet walked on to the grove, and sat down on the ground under the
pine trees.

"I feel very patriotic," said Patty, who was decorated with several small
flags which she had stuck in her hair, and in her belt, "and I think we
ought to sing some national anthems."

So they sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," and other patriotic airs, until
they were interrupted by Winthrop and Elise who came toward them singing
a Christmas carol.

"I asked you to come here," said Roger aside, to Patty, "because I wanted
to see you alone for a minute, and now all these other people have come
and spoiled my plan. Come on over to the orchard, will you?"

"Of course I will," said Patty jumping up, "what is the secret you have
to tell me? Some plan for to-night?"

"No," said Roger, hesitating a little, "that is, yes,--not exactly."

They had walked away from the others, and Roger took from his pocket a
tiny box which he offered to Patty.

"I wanted to give you a little Christmas present," he said, "as a sort of
memento of this jolly day; and I thought maybe you'd wear it to-night."

"How lovely!" cried Patty, as