"You sing like an angel without any practice," said Mona, who was always irritated when Daisy was what Patty called snippy. "Oh, do you sing, Miss Fairfield?" said Mr. Hoyt, from across the table. "You must join our Christmas choir, then. We're going to have a glorious old carolling time to-morrow night." "I'll be glad to," replied Patty, "if I know your music." But after dinner, when they tried some of the music, they discovered that Patty could sing readily at sight, and she was gladly welcomed to the musical circle of Fern Falls. "How long are you staying here?" asked Mr. Hoyt. "A month, at least," Adele answered for Patty. "Oh, no, not so long as that," Patty protested. "A fortnight, at most." But Adele only smiled, and said, "We'll see about that, my dear." After a time, Hal Ferris came to Patty, and tried to draw her away from the group around the piano. "You're neglecting me shamefully," he said; "and I'm the brother of your hostess! Guests should always be especially kind to the Brother of a Hostess." "What can I do for you?" asked Patty, smiling, as she walked out to the hall with him. "Quit talking to the other people, and devote yourself to me," was the prompt response. "Do all your sister's guests do that?" "I don't want 'em all to; I only want you to." "And what about _my_ wants?" "Yes; _what_ about them? You want to talk to me, _don't_ you?" His tone and smile were so roguishly eager that Patty felt a strong liking for this big, boyish chap. "I'll talk for ten minutes," she said, "and then we're going to dance, I believe." "Oh, and then they'll all be after you! I say," and he drew her toward a window, from where the moonlight could be plainly seen, "Let's go out and skate. The ice is fine!" "Skate! You must be crazy!" "Yes; I supposed you'd say so! But to-morrow more people are coming, and I'll never see anything of you. Say, how about this? Are you game to get up and go for an early morning skate, just with me, and not let anybody else know?" "I'd like that!" and Patty's eyes sparkled, for she dearly loved early morning fresh air. "Of course, we'll tell Adele." "Yes; so she'll have some breakfast made for us. But nobody else. How about eight o'clock? Regular breakfast will be at nine-thirty." "Good! I'll be ready at eight." "Meet me in the breakfast-room at eight, then. Do you know where it is? Just off the big dining-room." "What are you two hob-nobbing about?" asked Daisy, curiously, as she strolled over toward them. "I'm just telling Miss Fairfield about the plan of the house," said Ferris, innocently. "It's well planned, isn't it?" "Very," said Patty. CHAPTER X CHRISTMAS EVE As Patty stepped out of her room into the hall the next morning, at eight o'clock, she found Hal Ferris already tiptoeing down the stairs. He put his finger to his lip with a great show of secrecy, which made Patty laugh. "Why must we be so careful?" she whispered. "We're not doing anything wrong."