door. But what larks to have the whole house! I've never
played it before but what they wouldn't let you hide in this room or
that room. Who'll be It?"

"Oh, that's an old-fashioned way to play," said Hal. "Here's a better
way. Either all the men hide and the girls find them, or else the
other way around; and, anyway, don't you know, whoever finds who, has
to be her partner or something."

"For life?" asked Jim, looking horrified.

"Mercy, no!" said his brother-in-law. "This is a civilised land, and
we don't select life partners that way!"

"You mean just partners for a dance," said Patty, trying to help him
out.

"Well, you see," said Hal, "it ought to be more than just a dance; I
mean more like a partner for a,--for a junketing of some kind."

"I'll tell you," said Adele. "There's to be a masquerade ball at the
Country Club on New Year's Eve, and we're all going."

"Just the thing!" cried Hal. "Now, whichever seeker finds whichever
hider, they'll go in pairs to the ball, don't you see? Romeo and
Juliet, or anything they like, for costumes."

"But we won't be here," and Philip Van Reypen looked ruefully at
Roger. "We go back to town to-morrow."

"But you can come up again," said Adele, hospitably. "I hereby invite
you both to come back the day before New Year's, and stay as long as
you will."

"Well, you are _some_ hostess!" declared Roger, looking grateful. "I
accept with pleasure, but I doubt if my friend Van Reypen can get
away."

"Can he!" cried Philip. "Well, I rather guess he can! Mrs. Kenerley,
you're all sorts of a darling, and you'll see me back here on the
first train after your invitation takes effect."

"Then hurrah for our game of hide and seek," Hal exclaimed. "Jim and
Adele, you must be in it, too. You needn't think you can go as Darby
and Joan,--you must take your chances with the rest. If you find each
other, all right, but if you find anybody else, that's your fate,--see?"

"I'm willing," said Adele, laughing. "I'm sure I'd be glad to go with
any of you beautiful young men."

"Now, will you listen to _that_!" cried her husband. "Well, I won't be
outdone in generosity. I'll be proud to escort any one of this galaxy
of beauty," and he looked at the group of pretty girls.

"Now, we must do it all up proper," said Hal. "In the first place, we
must draw lots to see whether the girls shall hide or we shall. We
must have it all very fair."

He tore two strips of paper, one longer than t