But Patty had already run into the house and returned with her hands full of the invitations to the party. "Oh," groaned everybody, quite overcome by the calamity. Nan was the first to recover herself. "There's only one thing to do," she said; "we must go around and pick up as many guests as we can in a hurry. It won't do to let all this nice garden-party go to waste. Bob and I will take the runabout, and Bumble, you and Patty can take the trap, and we'll scour the country as far as possible." In a few minutes the two turnouts dashed away in opposite directions, and all the near-by neighbors were bidden to come to the garden-party at once. Much laughter and fun was caused by the sudden and peremptory invitations, which were, for the most part, gladly accepted. When the guests finally arrived, the party was a grand success, though of much smaller proportions than was originally intended. The gayly-lighted veranda was a fine place for dancing and games, and supper, served in the tent, was very novel and attractive. As Nan said, after the party was over, "It was just perfect, except that we couldn't invite the ones that lived at any distance." But Uncle Ted said, "Never mind, we'll have another party, and invite them; and I'll see to mailing the invitations myself." "Oh, ho," laughed Nan, "then we needn't even get ready for the party, for you'll never remember to post them." At which Uncle Ted called her a saucy minx, and sent them all to bed. CHAPTER XVI UNBOUNDED HOSPITALITY Although life at the Hurly-Burly was full of irritating incidents and even serious disappointments which were caused by the general forgetfulness and careless habits of the family, yet there were also many pleasures, and Patty enjoyed the summer very much and became warmly attached to her happy-go-lucky relatives. Uncle Ted was kindness itself, and Aunt Grace was very loving and affectionate towards her motherless niece. Bob and Bumble were trumps, and Nan was so irresistibly funny that she made merry jokes of what would otherwise have been real troubles. The days flew by and Patty thought she had never known a summer to pass so rapidly. She almost lived out of doors, for Uncle Ted said he was determined to transform the little Boston bluestocking into a wild Indian; and so Patty had become browned by the sun, and her rowing and swimming had developed a fine amount of muscle. But as we are always more or less influenced by the character of those about us, Patty had also imbibed much of the spirit of the Hurly-Burly family and lived as if the pleasure of the present moment were the only thing to be considered.