“Taking days as they go,” said Marian in an impersonal manner, “I don’t think I ever saw a more busy one than to-day has seemed to be.  The Tea Club does seem to make a most awful amount of fluster in a new house.”

“Yes, it is exacting, isn’t it?” said Patty, who caught her cousin’s eye in the mirror and looked very demure, though she refused to smile.

“There are some of the girls coming in at the front gate now,” said Marian as she tied the big white bow on Patty’s pretty, fluffy hair.  “Didn’t I time this performance just right?”

“You did indeed,” said Patty, and kissing her cousin, she ran gaily downstairs.

How the Tea Club girls did chatter that afternoon! there was so much to see and talk about in Patty’s new home, and there were also other weighty matters to be discussed.

The proposed entertainment was an engrossing subject, and as various opinions were held, the arguments were lively and outspoken.

“You can talk all you like,” said Helen Preston, “but you’ll find that a bazaar will be the most sensible thing after all.  You’re sure to make a lot of money, and the boys will help, and we all know exactly what to do and how to go about it.”

“It may be sensible,” said Laura Russell, “but it won’t be a bit of fun.  Stupid, poky, old chestnut; nobody wants to come to buy things, they only come because they think they have to.  Now if we had a play—­”

“Yes,” said Elsie Morris, “a play would be the very nicest thing.  I’ve brought two books for us to look over.  One’s that Shakespeare thing, and the other is called ‘A Reunion at Mother Goose’s.’  It’s awfully funny; I think it’s better than the Shakespeare.”

“I think Mother Goose things are silly,” said Ethel Holmes.  “Who wants to go around dressed up like Little Bo-peep, and say ‘Ba, ba, black sheep,’ all the time?”

“Yes, or who wants to be Red Riding Hood’s wolf and eat up Mary’s little lamb?”

“Oh, it isn’t like that; it’s a reunion, you know, and all the Mother Goose children are grown up, and they talk about old times.”

“It does sound nice,” said Patty, “let’s read it.”

They read both the plays, and so interested were they in the reading and discussing them that before they knew it the afternoon slipped away, and Pansy Potts came in to announce that the tea was ready.

“Goodness,” cried Patty, “I forgot all about it!  Come on, girls, we can discuss the play just as well at the table.”

“Yes, and better,” said Elsie.

Such a shout of exclamation as went up from the Tea Club girls when they saw Patty’s table.

“Why didn’t you tell us there was to be a wedding?” said Ethel, “and we would have brought presents.”

“Is it an African jungle?” said Laura, “or is it only Smith’s flower store moved up here bodily?”

“I think it looks like a page out of the Misses’ Home Guide” said Polly Stevens.  “You ought to have this table photographed, it would take the first prize!  But where are we going to eat?  Surely you don’t expect us to sit down at this Louis XlV. gimcrack?”