“His pennies are meal worms,” said Doodles with a grimace.  “I’ll get him one.”

“Ugh!  How can he?” laughed Miss Crilly, as the bird disposed of the dainty.

His reward seemed to incite him to further song, for straightway he launched into a gay little medley that set his hearers laughing and admiring at once.

“The birthday supper is ready!” announced Blue informally from the door of the dining-room.

Doodles ran quickly to Miss Lily’s side and they took place at the head of the little procession.

Colonel Gresham and Mrs. Adlerfeld came next.

“Oh, I’m so glad!” thought Juanita Sterling, catching a sight of the little Swedish woman’s happy face.

The company speedily divided itself into two’s, and Miss Sterling, with a bit of a heart flutter, found herself walking beside the president of June Holiday Home.  Just ahead were Patricia and David.  Where was Polly?  She and David were always together—­everywhere.  But now she and Leonora were side by side.  Strange!—­but wonderings were lost in the pleasant calls of the occasion.

In the smallish dining-room a long table gave seats to everybody, and no one was crowded.

Nothing elaborate had been attempted, all was simple and homelike.  Except for the curious decoration above the seat of honor, and the birthday cake with its pink and white frosting, there was little to distinguish it from an every-day repast.

Talk and appetite went merrily hand in hand, and the “birthday girl,” as Polly and Doodles insisted on calling her, grew actually gay.

“When she had cut the cake, and everybody’s plate was empty, Doodles asked her to pull a pink ribbon hanging from the umbrella-like contrivance over her head.

“With a half-frightened face and fingers that trembled, she plucked at the dainty string.  Nothing happened.

“Pull harder!” urged Doodles.

She made another attempt—­and gave a little cry, for tumbling about her came birthday gifts in wild array.

Into her lap plumped an embroidered pin-cushion, on one shoulder drooped a muslin and lace apron, over her head was draped a white silk waist, while all around, on floor and table, were other articles, besides packages of various sizes tied with pink and white ribbons.  In the laughter and confusion, presents too bulky or too frail to be risked in a fall were placed near her,—­a long box of pink roses, a tall vase of cut-glass, a big, big box of candy, a pretty bon-bon dish, a small fern, and a little begonia with lovely pink blossoms.

To be thus suddenly surprised, and at the same time to be made the attractive point of so many eyes, was more than Faith Lily’s composure could bear.  Her lip quivered like a little child’s, her blue eyes filled with tears and over-flowed—­she began softly to sob.

Doodles looked distressed.  Then he did the best thing possible.