Others of "the boys" came flocking in, the work was speedily finished, there was some tossing back and forth of the balls, amid rather uproarious laughter; but some of them unwound and became entangled; and so that sport was given up; the girls washed their hands as before supper; Blindman's Buff, Puss in the Corner and other games were played with as much zest as if the players had been a parcel of children; then refreshments followed, served up in the kitchen; huckleberries with cream and sugar, watermelons, and muskmelons, doughnuts and cup cake. At eleven o'clock the party broke up and the young men saw the girls safely home, Gotobed being so fortunate as to secure the privilege of waiting upon Mildred to her father's door. She would, perhaps, have slightly preferred the attentions of Yorke Mocker, or Wallace Ormsby; both of whom she had met before and who were young men of much better education and much more polish and refinement than poor Gotobed. It was Mrs. Keith who admitted her daughter; every one else in the house having retired. "Had you a pleasant time?" she asked, with a motherly smile. "I heard some of the others, as they went away, saying it had been perfectly splendid," Mildred answered with an amused little laugh, "but the fun was of rather too rough a sort for me." "Games?" "Yes, ma'am; and I took part until they began kissing; when I retired to the ranks of the spectators." "That was right," Mrs. Keith said emphatically. "And what do you think, mother?" laughed Mildred. "Viny Apple was one of the guests. The idea of being invited out to meet your ci-devant housemaid and cook! isn't it too funny?" "Well, dear, let us be thankful that Celestine Ann was not invited also; leaving me to get tea to-night," Mrs. Keith said, joining in the laugh. [Illustration] [Illustration] Chapter Fifteenth. "The knight, perusing this epistle, Believ'd h' had brought her to his whistle. And read it like a jocund lover, With great applause t' himself twice over." --BUTLER'S HUDIBRAS. RHODA JANE had set the ball in motion and for several weeks similar festivities were much in vogue among the young people of Pleasant Plains. There were other rag carpet bees, some quilting, berrying and nutting parties, boatings on the river, "buggy rides," and rides on horseback. Then as the days grew short and the evenings long, a singing school was started. It met once a week at Damaris Drybread's schoolroom, was largely attended by the youth of both sexes, quite as much for the sport to be got out of it as for the improvement of their vocal powers. Each carried thither a note book and a tallow candle, and at the end of the term paid his or her proportion of the salary of the teacher--one Timothy Buzzard, from a neighboring town.