“I know how to curtsey,” said Marjorie.  “I always do it at home, when mother has callers.  But I don’t curtsey to children.”

“Yes, you must,” said Grandma.  “I don’t want my grandchildren behaving like a lot of rustics.”

This speech greatly offended Marjorie, and it was with difficulty that she refrained from answering that they were not rustics.  But she controlled herself, and said that of course she would curtsey to the young guests if Grandma wished her to.

“Now that’s a little lady,” said Grandma, approvingly, and Marjorie felt glad that she hadn’t given way to her irritation.

“What time is the party, Grandma?” asked Kitty.

“From four to six, Kitty; but you children must be dressed, and in the drawing-room at quarter before four.”

The day dragged along, as there was nothing especial to do and no way to have any fun.  Grandpa Maynard had gone out with their father, and though the children went up in the billiard room they didn’t feel just like romping.

“I hate this house!” said King, unable to repress the truth any longer.

“So do I!” said Kitty.  “If we stay here much longer, I’ll run away.”

This surprised the other two, for Kitty was usually mild and gentle, and rarely gave way to such speech as this.

“It’s Grandma Maynard that makes the trouble,” said King.  “She’s so pernickety and fussy about us.  I’d behave a great deal better if she’d let me alone.  And Grandpa wouldn’t bother about us if Grandma didn’t make him.”

“I don’t think you ought to talk like that, King,” said Marjorie.  “Somehow, it doesn’t seem right.  It isn’t respectful, and all that, and it doesn’t seem a nice thing to do.”

“That’s so, Mops; you’re just right!” said King, taking the reproof in good part, for he knew it was merited.  “It’s a whole lot worse to be disrespectful about your grandpeople than to carry on and make a racket, I think.”

“Yes, it is,” said Marjorie, “and I say the rest of the time we’re here, let’s try to do just right.  Because it’s only two or three days anyway.  I think we’re going on day after to-morrow.”

So they all agreed to try afresh to behave correctly, and on the whole succeeded pretty well.

Promptly at quarter of four that afternoon they presented themselves in the drawing-room for Grandma’s inspection.

“You look very well,” Grandma said, nodding her head approvingly at the girls’ frilly white dresses and King’s correct clothes.  “Now I trust you’ll behave as well as you look.”

“What do you want us to do, Grandma?” asked Marjorie.  “I mean to entertain the boys and girls.”

“Oh, nothing of that sort, child; the entertainment will be provided by a professional entertainer.  You have only to greet the guests properly, and that is all you need do.”

Marjorie did not know quite what a professional entertainer was, but it sounded interesting, and she was quite sure she could manage to greet the guests politely.