Jack laughed. “I’m sure they wouldn’t find me if I lived here! But Anne and I only have a yard in a city block. The front steps from the door go right down to the sidewalk, and there’s a little patch of grass in front of the basement windows, with an area-way going to the back kitchen. We have only as much open space on each side of our house as from here to there.” As he explained, Jack showed a distance of five feet in front of him. “But you have the loveliest park only a few blocks away—and the museums, and zoo, and lots of things we haven’t!” said George enviously. “You can’t have fun in the zoo or a museum as you can in the open like this place; but we’ll make up here for not having the place in Philadelphia, won’t we, Anne?” laughed Jack. “Yes, if George and Martha won’t have to spend all the time at lessons,” said Anne anxiously. “Oh, no, we were going to have a private teacher at home because the only school is so far away from us in winter, but the house-teacher mother engaged was taken sick and couldn’t come as soon as expected, so mother has been hearing our lessons and reading history to us. Now that your mother is visiting here, mother won’t have as much time to hear our lessons, see?” explained Martha eagerly. “And we can have all the more time for fun,” added George. “How about you, John?” asked Jack, turning to the little neighbor boy. “Oh, I was going to join George and Martha at their house for lessons this year—my mother and their mother arranged it, you see, ’cause we are distantly related, too, but now I don’t have to study, either!” said John with satisfaction. “Then we’re all free for a fine time! You see, it just happened that the same week our school opened, the measles broke out so bad that they had to close again for a short time; and as every one we knew got the measles, mother hurried us off for a visit until the thing is over again,” laughed Jack, feeling very happy over the consequences of the epidemic. “Fine!” declared George, turning to lead the way to the last scene of battle—the broken-down hedge between the Grahams’ and Parkes’ country estates. CHAPTER II THE CUSTIS WEDDING PARTY “Now that we’ve been all over the place, come up to the attic and let us show you the old trunk full of costumes,” urged Martha, as the five children returned from the inspection of the grounds. “Maybe the folks’ll be looking for us to change our clothes,” ventured Anne, looking carefully at the windows of the house, as they came into view from the path where the children skipped or ran. “How long will it take you?” questioned Martha. “Oh, we’ll have to take a bath, and my curls will have to be done over fresh, and a clean dress put on—dear me, we can’t have a speck of fun all starched up, you know!” complained Anne. “Let’s get in without any one seeing us!” whispered George. “How?” chorused the others.