She opened a small package, disclosing a tiny box.  In the box was a little gold signet ring with and Old English “E” engraved upon it.

“Oh,” admired Polly, “is n’t that lovelicious!  I’m so glad for Elsie!”

“Yes,” Miss Lucy went on, “I think she will like it.  We wanted to give her something that she would keep to remember the day by, and we could n’t think of anything better.  She has a poor little home, though her mother works hard and does all she can to make the children happy.  But Elsie can’t have had many bright things in her life, so we’re going to try to make her birthday as pleasant as possible.”

“I should think this would please anybody, it is so beautiful!” and Polly laid it gently back in its little case.

Presently she was downstairs again, happy in the knowledge of sharing a secret with Miss Lucy and Dr. Dudley.

After dinner she read to the children from her new book of fairy tales, and the Miss Lucy taught them some new games that they could all play—­even those who were still in bed.

They were just finishing one of these, when the strains of an old song suddenly sounded near by.

“Oh, a hand-organ!” somebody shouted, and they flocked to the windows.

“And he’s got a monkey!” squealed Brida.

“Oh, that’s ‘count o’ my birthday!” cried the happy Elsie.  “I do wish he’d come up here!”

Her words floated down to the organ grinder, and at once he allowed the monkey more length of cord.  The little animal began to climb the wisteria vine, and presently was doffing his tiny red cap to the children, who shrieked with delight.

“Here’s a penny for him, Elsie,” said Dr. Dudley, who had come up behind them unnoticed.

The little birthday girl joyfully took the bright coin, and dropped it into the monkey’s outstretched paw, receiving from him a characteristic “thank you,” which caused more glee.

Again and again the little gay-coated messenger made trips up and down the wisteria, transferring the pennies from the children’s hands to his master’s pocket, until the yellow coins finally gave out, and the Doctor was obliged to say, “No more!”

Even then the man smilingly played on, and when at last he and the monkey bade their patrons good-bye, Elsie thought that no little girl ever had so “splendid” a birthday as she was having.

The party tea was served precisely at half-past five o’clock, and such a tea!  Little biscuits scarcely bigger than silver dollars, small tarts filled with fig marmalade, great berries that the children agreed were super-bondonjical, tiny nut cookies, a frosted cake decorated with nine pink candles, chocolate in pretty cups, and—­to top off the feast—­ice cream in the shape of chickens!

Miss Lucy and Polly and Dr. Dudley served those little people who could not be at the table, and nobody—­not even the birthday girl herself—­enjoyed it all better than did Polly May.