"Run away, little boy," said his aunt, gaily; "we're having a young
ladies' party here to-day, and you're not invited."
"Please let me stay a little while, auntie; I'll run away before
your guests arrive. Mayn't I help you fix flowers or something?"
"No, you're more bother than help; now be good, Kit boy, and run
away."
"Auntie," and Kit put on his most wheedlesome smile, which was
always compelling, "if you'll just let me stay till the first guest
comes, I'll scoot out at once."
Bee nearly choked at this, for did she not know that the guests
wouldn't arrive for a week yet!
Mrs. Homer was called away to the dining-room then, and the two
conspirators indulged in a silent dance of triumph over the success
of their scheme. Not for a moment did it strike them as unkind or
mean, because they had been used to practical jokes all their life,
and this seemed to them the biggest and best they had ever carried
off.
At half-past one Patty appeared.
She had laid her plans most carefully, and everything was going
smoothly.
Mrs. Homer and Marie greeted her warmly, and Beatrice and Kit were
not much surprised to see her, because she was liable to come any
day. Beatrice looked a little surprised at Patty's dressed-up
appearance, but as no one else appeared, she had no suspicion of
what Patty had done.
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