There was a secret about the party.

Jack’s mother had told him, but he would not tell.

Boy Blue tried to guess.

“Is it a Christmas tree, Jack?”

“Are we going to make candy?”

“Is Santa Claus coming?”

“Are we going on a sleigh-ride?”

“No, no, no!” said Jack.  “You will never guess.”

At last Christmas Day came.

Jack could hardly stop to look at all of his presents.

He was thinking of the party and of getting the secret ready.

At two o’clock the children came to the party.

They each brought Jack a present.

Mistress Mary brought him some roses.

“They grew on the rose-bush you gave me,” she said.

At first the children played games.

They played “blind man’s buff,” and “hide the thimble,” and “button, button, who has the button.”

At four o’clock Jack’s mother came into the room.

“I think you must all be hungry by this time,” she said.

“Will you come and see what I have for you?”

So the children followed Mrs. Horne through the long hall into the dining-room.

Oh, there were such good things for hungry children!

There were pretty little cakes with pink and white frosting, and oranges, and nuts, and raisins, and apples, and candy.

Boy Blue’s father had heard about the party and had sent the apples from the farm.

Boy Blue’s mother had sent some candy made of maple sugar and nuts.

Oh, it was so good!

When each one had eaten some of the cakes, and some of the nuts, and some of the candy, Mrs. Horne went out into the kitchen.

Jack began to laugh and his eyes looked very big and wise.

“The surprise is coming!” cried Boy Blue.  “The surprise is coming!”

And sure enough!  In came Mrs. Horne, carrying a huge pie in her hands.

“This is Jack Horner’s pie,” she said.  “I think it is full of plums.”

[Illustration:  “Then he had put in his hand and pulled out something.”]

Then she put it on the table in front of Jack.

He stood up and said:—­

 “Little Jack Horner
  Stood near a corner
  Cutting his birthday pie. 
  He put in his thumb
  And pulled out a plum,
  And said, ‘What a big boy am I!’”

How the children laughed!

Jack had cut the paper crust of his birthday pie.

Then he had put in his hand and pulled out something.

It was surely too big for a real plum.

“For Boy Blue,” said Jack, giving him the package.

Boy Blue took off the white paper and there was a tiny horn, tied with a blue ribbon.

Then Jack pulled out another plum.

It was a book about flowers for Mistress Mary.

Tommy Tucker had a knife.

“That’s to cut your bread with,” said Jack Horner.