“Charming.  Oh! and here’s her boy in a sailor’s dress.”

“He is big enough to be her husband, my dear.  You had better observe proportions, and put that family nearer the eye.”

“Those dolls!” cried Valetta, “they were our despair.”

“Make them tell a story, don’t you see.  Where’s that fat red cushion?”

“Oh, that cushion!  I put it out of sight because it is such a monster.”

“Yes; it is just like brick-dust enlivened by half-boiled cauliflowers!  Never mind, it will be all the better background.  Now, I saw a majestic lady reposing somewhere.  There, let her sit against it.  Oh, she mustn’t flop over.  Here, that match-box, is it?  I pity the person deluded enough to use it!  Prop her up with it.  Now then, let us have a presentation of ladies—-she’s a governor’s wife in the colonies, you see.  Never mind costumes, they may be queer.  All that will stand or kneel-—that’s right.  Those that can only sit must hide behind, like poor Marie Antoinette’s ladies on the giggling occasion.”

So she went on, full of fun, which made the work doubly delightful to the girls, who darted about while she put the finishing touches, transforming the draperies from the aspect of a rag-and-bone shop, as Jasper had called it, to a wonderful quaint and pretty fairy bower, backed by the Indian scenes sent by Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Underwood, and that other lovely one of Primrose’s pasture.  There the merry musical laugh of her youth was to be heard, as General Mohun came out with Lancelot to make a raid, order the whole party to come and eat luncheon at Beechcroft Cottage, and not let Mrs. Grinstead come out again.

“Oh, but I must finish up Bernard’s clay costume figures.  Look at the expression of that delightful dollie!  I’m sure he is watching the khitmutgars.

’Above on tallest trees remote
Green Ayahs perched alone;
And all night long the Mussah moaned
In melancholy tone.’

Oh, don’t you know Lear’s poem?  Can’t we illustrate it?”

“Cherry, Cherry, you’ll be half dead to-morrow.”

“Well, if I am, this is the real fun.  I shan’t see the destruction.”

Lance had her arm in his grip to take her over the bridge over the wall, when up rushed Kitty Varley.

“Oh, if Mrs. Grinstead would come and look at our stall and set it right!  Miss Vanderkist gave us hopes.”

“Perhaps-—”

“Now, Cherry, don’t you know that you are not to be knocked up!  There are the Travises going to bring unlimited Vanderkists.”

“Oh yes, I know; but there’s renovation in breaths from Vale Leston, and I really am of some use here.”  Her voice really had a gay ring in it.  “It is such fun too!  Where’s Gerald?”

“Having a smoke with the buccaneer captain.  Oh, Miss Mohun, here’s my sister, so enamoured of the bazaar I could hardly get her in.”

“And oh! she is so clever and delightful.  She has made our stall the most enchanting place,” cried Primrose, dancing round.  “Mamma, you must come and have it all explained to you.”