CHAPTER XX BEN'S BIRTHDAY

ckleonhisbroadbelt,afeatherinhislittlecapandabowinhishand. "Ihavecometoshoot.Iheardaboutit.Mypapatoldmewhatarchingmeant.Willtherebeanylittlecakes?Ilikethem." Withtheseopeningremarksthepoettookaseatandcalmlyawaitedaresponse.Theyoungladies,Iregrettosay,giggled,thenrememberingtheirmanners,hastenedtoinformhimthattherewouldbeheapsofcakes,alsothatMissCeliawouldnotmindhiscomingwithoutaninvitation,theywerequitesure. "Sheaskedmetocomethatday.Ihavebeenverybusy.Ihadmeasles.Doyouhavethemhere?"askedtheguest,asifanxioustocomparenotesonthesadsubject. "Wehadourseversolongago.Whathaveyoubeendoingbesideshavingmeasles?"saidBetty,showingapoliteinterest. "Ihadafightwithabumble-bee." "Whobeat?"demandedBab. "Idid.Iranawayandhecouldn'tcatchme." "Canyoushootnicely?" "Ihitacow.Shedidnotmindatall.Iguessshethoughtitwasafly." "Didyourmotherknowyouwerecoming?"askedBab,feelinganinterestinrunaways. "Nosheisgonetodrive,soIcouldnotaskher." "Itisverywrongtodisobey.MySunday-schoolbooksaysthatchildrenwhoarenaughtythatwaynevergotoheaven,"observedvirtuousBetty,inawarningtone. "Idonotwishtogo,"wasthestartlingreply. "Whynot?"askedBetty,severely. "Theydon'thaveanydirtthere.Mymammasaysso.Iamfondofdirt.Ishallstayherewherethereisplentyofit,"andthecandidyouthbegantogrubinthemouldwiththesatisfactionofagenuineboy. "Iamafraidyou'reaverybadchild." "Ohyes,Iam.Mypapaoftensayssoandheknowsallaboutit,"repliedAlfredwithaninvoluntarywrigglesuggestiveofpainfulmemories.Then,asifanxioustochangetheconversationfromitssomewhatpersonalchannel,heasked,pointingtoarowofgrinningheadsabovethewall,"Doyoushootatthose?" BabandBettylookedupquicklyandrecognizedthefamiliarfacesoftheirfriendspeeringdownatthem,likeachoicecollectionoftrophiesortargets. "Ishouldthinkyou'dbeashamedtopeekbeforethepartywasready!"criedBab,frowningdarklyuponthemerryyoungladies. "MissCeliatoldustocomebeforetwo,andbereadytoreceivefolks,ifshewasn'tdown,"addedBetty,importantly. "Itisstrikingtwonow.Comealong,girls"andoverscrambledSallyFolsom,followedbythreeorfourkindredspirits,justastheirhostessappeared. "YoulooklikeAmazonsstormingafort,"shesaid,asthegirlscattleup,eachcarryingherbowandarrows,whilegreenribbonsflewineverydirection. "Howdoyoudo,sir?Ihavebeenhopingyouwouldcallagain,"addedMissCelia,shakinghandswiththeprettyboy,whoregardedwithbenigninterestthegiveroflittlecakes. Herearushofboystookplace,andfurtherremarkswerecutshort,foreveryonewasinahurrytobegin.Sotheprocessionwasformedatonce,MissCeliatakingthelead,escortedbyBeninthepostofhonor,whiletheboysandgirlspairedoffbehind,arminarm,bowonShoulder,inmartialarray.ThornyandBillyweretheband,andmarchedbefore,fifinganddrumming"YankeeDoodle"withavigorwhichkeptfeetmovingbriskly,madeeyessparkle,andyoungheartsdanceunderthegaygownsandsummerjackets.Theinterestingstrangerwaselectedtobeartheprize,laidoutonaredpin-cushionanddidsowithgreatdig