“Mother is waving a handkerchief—­that means she wants you,” said Grandmother, glancing from the window.  “Scoot along, dear, and don’t think too much about the birthday till it comes.  Here are the magazines.  And here’s a drop-cake for you.”

Brother paddled down the steps, went halfway to the front hedge, and then turned.

“Oh, Grandma!” he shouted.  “Do you know what I think Ralph is going to give me?  I think it’s a tool-chest!”

CHAPTER III

SISTER IN MISCHIEF

“I hope it’s like this to-morrow!”

Brother stood on the front porch, flattening his nose against the screen door and sniffing the fragrant June sunshine.

Ever since his unsuccessful attempt to find out from Grandma Hastings what Ralph’s present was to be, it had rained.  That was three days ago, so you may be sure the whole Morrison family were very glad to see the sun again.  Especially as the very next day was Brother’s birthday.

“Brother, I’m going down town to buy the favors for your party,” announced Louise, who sat in the porch hammock crocheting a sweater.  “Wouldn’t you like to go with me?”

Brother thought he would.

“Take me?” begged Sister, falling over the small broom she carried, in her eagerness to be one of the party.  “It’s my turn, Louise, honestly it is.”

“Well, you see, I can’t very well take you both,” explained Louise kindly.  “Mrs. Adams is going to call for me with her car, and it wouldn’t be polite to ask her to take two children; and as it is Brother’s birthday, he ought to be the one to go—­don’t you think so?”

Sister nodded, though her lower lip trembled suspiciously.  And when Mrs. Adams drove her shiny automobile up to the curb, and Louise and Brother were whisked away in it, two big tears rolled down Sister’s round cheeks.

“Why, honey!” Grace, the other twin sister, swinging her tennis racquet, came through the hall and saw the tears.  “What you crying for?” she asked.  “Everyone gone and left you?  I’ll tell you what to do—­you go out in the kitchen and take a peep at what is on the table and you won’t feel like crying another moment.”

“What is it?” asked Sister cautiously.

She wasn’t going to stop crying and then find out she had been cheated.

“You go look,” answered Grace mysteriously.

So sister started for the kitchen and Grace ran off to her game of tennis with Jimmie.

The kitchen was in perfect order and very quiet.  Molly was upstairs making the beds, and Mother Morrison was planning the party with Grandmother Hastings.

“Oh!” said Sister softly as she saw what was on the table.  “Oh, my!”

For right in the center of the white-topped table, on a large pink plate, perched Brother’s birthday cake!  It was a beautiful cake, perfectly round and very smooth and brown.