“And for that matter,” put in Marjorie, “Alice has a date too, only she doesn’t know it.” “I have? What?” “Well, Lily and I have a little surprise for you all. We wrote home for some food, and it came; so we’ve invited all the dudes to a party in the dining-room. Mr. and Mrs. Hilton are there already, and something tells me the rest of the people suspect something.” The scouts waited for no formal adjournment now, but one and all jumped up, embracing Marjorie and Lily as they passed in their rush for the dining-room. The news had travelled already, and the guests were there before their hostesses. Mrs. Hilton had arranged the refreshments on the table while the scouts were at their meeting. The prospect of eating those wonderful apples and oranges that formed such an attractive center-piece of tasting the daintiest bon-bons and chocolates, and having plenty of more substantial things like crackers and cheese and olives, seemed thrilling to these people to whom fresh fruit and candies were such rarities. The young people grouped themselves about the table and began to pass the food. It seemed as if everything that could possibly be sent two-thirds of the way across the continent had been thought of and included. Figs, fruit-cake, nuts, pickles, olives, raisins, crackers of all kinds--so much that there would be no need for breakfast the following day. “I hope,” remarked Mrs. Hilton apprehensively, “that you girls didn’t write home and say that you were being starved here, did you?” “Oh no!” replied Marjorie, with assurance. “We just said we wanted a party.” “And you certainly got it!” laughed Mr. Hilton. “Does anybody feel like dancing?” asked Bob, after almost everyone had finished eating. “Yes--always!” answered Doris, without the slightest hesitation. The party moved into the front room now, and soon everyone was stepping to the music the old talking-machine was playing. Marjorie looked about the room and saw that everybody was taking part in the gaiety; even Kirk Smith, who was dancing with Daisy, seemed to be enjoying himself. The party lasted until nearly eleven o’clock, when Lily suggested that they wind it up with the latest scout song. Gathering into a close circle, the eight girls put their heads together and sang: “There are Girl Scouts in the cities, There are Girl Scouts East and West; But of all the scouts in khaki, Hilton Ranch Scouts are _The Best!_” Marjorie went to bed that night happy over the success of the troop meeting and the party that had followed. Her first official duties as lieutenant had been performed to her satisfaction. CHAPTER XI. DOROTHY’S ADVICE. For days after John Hadley had seen Marjorie’s brother at the dance, he could think of little else. Marjorie would have heard about it by now he reasoned, and he wondered what she would think.