He held something in his hand, which he kept behind his back. He was about to peep again when a light hand touched his shoulder. He turned, and there stood Floretta, looking prettier than usual in her short white frock, white shoes, and pink hair ribbons. "Did you get one?" whispered Jack. "Look!" said Floretta, and from behind her back she produced a long corn-cob. "I took mine from the table at noon, when ma wasn't looking, and ran from the dining-room, and hid it in our room," said Floretta. "How did you get yours?" "I asked the head waiter to get mine for me," said Jack, "and he acted as if he thought me a ninny. He gave it to me all the same, and asked what I was up to. I didn't tell him, though." They giggled softly. "Ready?" whispered Jack, softly. "Yes," whispered Floretta, and then, with corn-cobs held to their mouths, and their fingers working as if playing upon flutes, they marched out on to the piazza, loudly singing, "Hail Columbia." Some of the guests laughed, none so loudly as Mrs. Paxton, who declared that it taxed her intellect to imagine what put such outrageously funny notions into children's heads. "I can answer that, madam, and without trying very hard, either. It's Satan, madam, Satan, who from watching their actions, takes them to be his near relatives," said Mr. Cunningham. Meanwhile the little procession of two, encouraged by the laughter, marched in and out between the groups of guests, until unlucky Floretta let her corn-cob slip from her fingers, the moist, sticky thing falling upon the light silk skirt of a lady who sat near Mrs. Paxton. "There, there, Floretta, never mind," said Mrs. Paxton; then turning to the wearer of the gown, she said, "I don't think it will stain it in the least. Children will be children, and must have their fun!" CHAPTER III AN ENTERTAINMENT MRS. PAXTON had laughed at what she chose to call the "funny" antics of Floretta and Jack, but in truth, she had been very angry. She swept from the piazza, Floretta, firmly grasped, walking beside her. Jack Tiverton's mother took him to her room, where she could talk to him, without fear of interruption. Floretta sat on a low divan, sullen and obstinate. For twenty minutes she had listened, while her mother had told what a disrespectful thing she had done. "I don't see how it was not respectful," grumbled Floretta, "we were just having a little fun." "And it was fun at my expense," said Mrs. Paxton. "I was annoyed, just when I was making plans for a _fine_ entertainment, to have you and that boy parade out on to the piazza with those old corn-cobs, singing, or rather _howling_, like young savages!" This, and much more Floretta was forced to listen to, but during the remainder of the scolding, she did not speak, or reply in any way. She was still very sullen when her mother left the room, and no one saw her until she appeared in the dining-room at dinner.