“Oh, I’m sure the girls will all like it; and will you come out to see it?”

“Yes, I’d be glad to.  I was in it last winter.  I was Mercury.”

“Oh, can you do trick work on bicycles?”

“Yes, a little,” said Kenneth modestly.

“I wish you’d come out and be Mercury in our play.”

“Aren’t you going ahead rather fast, Patty, child?” said her father.  “Your club hasn’t decided to use this play yet.”

“I know it, papa, and of course I mean if we do use it; but anyway, I’m president of the club, and somehow, if I want a thing, the rest of the girls generally seem to want it too.”

“That’s a fine condition of affairs that any president might be glad to bring about.  You ought to be a college president.”

“Perhaps I shall be some day,” said Patty.

The dinner hour flew by all too quickly.  Patty greatly enjoyed the sights and sounds of the brilliant, crowded room.  She loved the lights and the music, the flowers and the palms, and the throngs of gaily dressed people.

Kenneth Harper enjoyed it too, and thought he had rarely met such attractive people as the Fairfields.

When he took his leave he thanked Mr. Fairfield courteously for his pleasant evening, and promised soon to call upon them at Boxley Hall.

They reached home by a late train, and Patty went up to her pretty bedroom, with her usual happy conviction that she was a very fortunate little girl and had the best father in the world.

CHAPTER XIV

THE NEIGHBOUR AGAIN

Kenneth Harper did send the book, and, as Patty confidently expected, the girls of the club quite agreed with her that it was the best play for them to use.

At a meeting at Marian’s, plans were made and parts were chosen.  The goddesses were allotted to the members of the club, and the gods were distributed among their brothers and friends.

Guy Morris, being of gigantic mould, was cast for Hercules, and Frank Elliott for Ajax.  When Patty told the girls that Kenneth Harper could do trick riding on a bicycle, they unanimously voted to invite him to take part in their entertainment.

It was decided to have the play about the middle of February, and the whole Tea Club grew enthusiastic over the plans for the wonderful performance.

One morning Patty sat in the library studying her part.  She was very happy.  Of course, Patty always was happy, but this morning she was unusually so.  Her housekeeping was going on smoothly; the night before her father had expressed himself as being greatly pleased with the system and order which seemed everywhere noticeable in the house.  It was Saturday morning, and she didn’t have to go to school.

Moreover, she was very much interested in the play and in her own part in it, and had already planned a most beautiful gown, which the dressmaker, Madame LaFayette, was to make for her.