whole party gathered in
the pavilion. This was rather more than a summer house; a large saloon,
with windows and glass doors on all sides, furnished with lounges and
easy chairs and tables, with a carpet on the floor, and kept with all
the nicety of the house itself. Warm and tired and happy, the little
company was ready for quiet amusements; and they played games of
various kinds until the gong called them to dinner. That was to have
been the end of the day's entertainment; but a storm had come up while
they were at the table, and the rain fell too abundantly to let anybody
leave the house except those who could go in close carriages. A few
were thus drafted off, belonging to neighbouring families; a goodly
little company still remained who were forced to accept the
housekeeper's hospitalities for the night. That was additional fun
rather than inconvenience, so voted and so accepted. However, as the
day began to close in and a lull fell upon all their pleasure-seeking,
it began to appear that the little people were tired. Naturally; they
had worked hard all day. Voices changed their tone.

"Oh dear! I wish it wouldn't rain!" cried one young lady, pressing her
face against the window, down the outside of which the streams of rain
drops were running fast.

"Might as well wish something else, Carrie, while you are about it,"
Norton said.

"I can't!"

"I wish I was home," said another.

"Wait till to-morrow, and you will have your wish."

"But I don't want to wait."

"Don't you know some new games, Esther?"

This sort of thing went on for some time till tea and cake made a
diversion, and lights were brought. Then the cry was, "What shall we do
all the rest of the evening?"

"I have a game for you," said David at last.

"What is it? what is it?"

"A new game."

"What _is_ it?"

"It is called, 'Capital and Interest.'"

"I don't understand that," pouted one of the young ladies.

"You will understand it fast enough, when we come to play it."

"How do you play it?"

"You must choose a Judge and a Recorder."

"What's a Recorder?"

"Some one to put down what we say. We all tell our business; the
Recorder sets it down, and the Judge says whose business is worth the
most."

"How can he tell?"

"He can hear what we say, and he can use his judgment, as we all can."

"Must we tell the truth? or say what we have a mind?"

"Either you like."

"That's jolly!" said one of the boys. "I go in for saying wha