"All right," said Bumble. "Patty, if you'll get the hot water, I'll cut up a lemon." "But there aren't any lemons," said her mother. "I looked for one to-day, and they're all out." "There aren't any biscuits, either," said Bob, coming back from a fruitless quest; "the box is empty." "And there doesn't seem to be any sugar," said Nan, peering into the sugar-bowl on the tea-table. "Well, I'll tell you what," said Bumble, "let's pretend to have tea. You know some people say, if you think you have anything, you have it." "All right," said Patty, who dearly loved to pretend, "I'll make the tea." So she pretended to measure out some tea from the caddy, and put it in the teapot. Then she poured imaginary water from the teakettle upon it, and covered the teapot tightly with the cosey. After allowing it a little time to "draw" she pretended to pour it into cups, in which Bumble had already placed imaginary sugar-lumps and bits of lemon. Bob offered his services as waiter, and passed the cups to his mother and Nan, and also to imaginary guests, who, he pretended, were sitting on the chairs and sofa. "This tea is delicious," said Aunt Grace, stirring in her empty cup, and sipping from her empty spoon. "Yes," said Patty, "it is real Russian tea. Do have some more, won't you?" "Indeed, I will," said Aunt Grace, and Patty poured her another empty cupful. "Pass the biscuit, Bumble," said Bob, and his sister carried around the empty biscuit-jar, while the guests helped themselves to nothing. Uncle Ted came in in the midst of the tea joke, and drank several cups of air, until Patty finally peeped into the teapot, and said, "You'll all have to stop, for there isn't any tea left." Bob carried the cups back to the tea-table, and all declared they had had a very nice tea-party. "But why don't you have a tea-party, girls?" said Uncle Ted, "a real one, I mean. Invite all the neighbors and have a nice spread. I'll decorate a bit with Japanese lanterns, and we'll make it a general festivity." "Oh, lovely!" cried Bumble, "if mamma is well enough to stand the excitement." "Aunt Grace needn't have any of the trouble," said Nan. "I'll order things, and help get the house ready. We girls will do all the work, and Aunt Grace can just be an invited guest." "Let's make it a lawn-party," said Bob, "and we'll have supper served in a tent." "Let me see," said Uncle Ted, "to-day is Monday. There's no use waiting too long, and the moon is nearly at its full now. Suppose we have the party on Thursday; can you all be ready by that time?" "Oh, yes," said Nan, "there's nothing much to do. Let's write the invitations to-night." So during dinner, which was finally announced, they completed their plans for a garden-party from five o'clock to ten Thursday evening; and after dinner Nan wrote the invitations, and Patty addressed them, while the rest discussed and decided who should be invited to the party. CHAPTER XV THE LAWN-PARTY