“Let’s call Ellen,” said Kitty, “she said to.”

Being summoned, Ellen arrived on the scene of action.

“Arrah, Miss Kitty,” she said; “shure, an’ I thought ye cuddent make cake.  Now, why did ye thry, an’ put all in such a pother?  Belikes ye want to make me throuble.”

“No, Ellen,” said Kitty, smiling at her.  “I didn’t do it purposely for that.  I thought it would be good.  You see, I did make it once, and it was good.”

“Ah, go ‘long wid yez,—­all of yez!  Shure I’ll be afther clanin’ up.  An’ niver a shcold I’ll shcold yez if ye’ll kape outen o’ my kitchen afther this.”

“Good for you, Ellen!” shouted King.  “I thought you’d raise a row!  Nice Ellen, good Ellen!  Good-bye, Ellen!”

“Good-bye, ye bad babies!  I’ll make ye some tea-cakes now as ye can eat!”

“Isn’t she a duck!” exclaimed Kitty.

“Oh, that’s ’cause you’re sort of company.  If you hadn’t been here, and we’d done that she’d have tuned up, all right!”

This was King’s opinion, and Marjorie agreed with him.  “We never go in the kitchen,” she said.  “I guess Ellen was so surprised she didn’t know what to say.”

“Well,” said Kitty, quite undisturbed by the circumstances, “you see, at Grandma’s, Eliza helps me, and sort of superintends what I put in.”

“Yes, I see,” said King.  “Now you do a lot of cooking after you get back there, Kit, and try to learn your recipes better.”

Kitty laughed and promised, and then the three children wandered into the dining-room to see what their elders were doing.

“Can’t we start at once?” Cousin Ethel was saying.  “Oh, here are the kiddies now!  Come in, you three blessings in disguise!  Do you want to go on a jamboree?”

“What’s that?” asked Kitty.

“Oh, a lovely motor ride, with two cars, and stay all night, and lots of lovely things like that!”

“Oh, goody!” cried Marjorie.  “Are we really going?  Mother’s been talking about a trip like that!”

“I guess we will,” said Mr. Maynard.  “We haven’t had an Ourday for some time.  How would you like to take the opportunity for one while we have Kitty-girl among us?”

“Gorgiferous!  Gay!” cried Marjorie, and King threw his cap high in the air and caught it deftly on his head.

“When do we start?”

“As soon as we can get off,” said Mr. Maynard, looking at his watch.  “Scamper, you kiddies, and get into appropriate rigs.”

“Oh, what fun!” cried Marjorie, as they flew upstairs.  “What shall we wear, Mothery?”

“You’ll find your frocks laid out in your rooms,” said Mrs. Maynard, who was prepared for this question.  “Then put on your motor coats and take your motor bonnets with you,—­but you needn’t wear them unless you choose.”

The girls danced away, and soon were in full regalia.  They went flying downstairs to learn more of the particulars of the trip.  Nurse Nannie and Rosy Posy were on the porch waiting, the little one greatly excited at thought of the journey.