Hilary looked embarrassed, for she “wasn’t much at kissing.” “Be sure to come,” she said hospitably, as she vanished to tap at the next door. “What in the world is this!” and Hilary pretended to start back in fright. A fierce growl greeted this question, as Diane in a bear’s costume, to which Helen had been putting a few last stitches, sat up, waved brown paws and started a rolling dance. “Isn’t it good?” asked Helen. “Great!” Hilary replied, clapping her hands in applause. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is the only Cinnamon-Black Bear in captivity,” said Helen, as she slipped into a rough coat and adjusted a man’s slouch hat over her eyes. “Here is his chain.” She threw a long iron chain around Diane’s neck. “This is the worst place to get anything. I wish Miss Randolph would let us go to the city for costumes.” “She said we’d have just as much fun with inexpensive things. But I’m forgetting my errand. Cathalina Van Buskirk and Hilary Lancaster will be at home this evening at eight o’clock and will be happy to see Miss Diane Percy, Helen Paget, Miss Lilian North, and Miss Betty Barnes at that time,—very promptly—if we don’t send for you to help before!” “Don’t worry. We wouldn’t miss it. Has the box come?” “No; but Mother said it would before night, and what Mother can’t put through has not yet been discovered! Miss Randolph said we could sit up a while after ‘lights out,’ so we can have a good time and not hurry. Yum-yum, I know Uncle Andrew’s chickens from Brookdale farm will be in it!” “Did you say ‘CHICKENS’? in the _plural_?” asked Diane in deep and husky tones, while she made her eyes big and waved her claws again. “Ow! Let me escape, fierce beast!” and Hilary disappeared. As Hilary came into the room, Cathalina, who like all the rest was industriously sewing, pointed with a smile to the birthday box, just deposited near the table by the janitor. The top was open and the nails carefully drawn from the boards. “Hooray!” cried Hilary. “But I’m not going to take a thing out till after dinner.” “How can you wait so long?” “Because I think it will be fun to take it all out at once, and it will spoil our appetites to nibble at things,—and how could we help it?—and then, Mother has packed that box and I know that the eats and everything are in glorious shape. They’ll be better to stay as they are until we are ready. I hope the girls won’t eat much at dinner.” “If I were Pearl Opal I’d exclaim—‘eat much? here?’” “Poor Pearl! How she hates it here!” “When are you going to have the feast, Hilary?” “About half-past eight or nine o’clock, though it’s supposed to be a ‘midnight feast.’ We’ll begin to borrow dishes and fix up soon after dinner. Won’t it be jolly? It isn’t every girl that can be at Greycliff and have a birthday and a big box from home.” “A little package came to me, too,” said Cathalina, putting down her work and going into the bedroom. In a moment she appeared with a little black leather case.