Almost before the words were ont of his mouth there was a general rush of boys in his direction.

“Take care of the sticks, Joe,” ordered Frank; “now, Phil, gently there,” and before Arthur could protest he was lifted skilfully in the arms of his chums, borne in triumphal procession across the long room, and deposited in the biggest armchair.

“What’s the matter with Arthur?” piped Jack, as the boys settled themselves on the floor around the big chair, and in response a ringing chorus of boys and girls lustily asserted, “He’s all right!”

Arthur held his head high and smiled bravely, but his paleness told what a struggle for self-control he was making.  Quite unconsciously he looked appealingly at his mother, but saw only her back as she went quickly from the room.

Betty, who had a positive genius for sensing situations and smoothing over hard places, saw the look and came to the rescue at once.  “Get up, children,” she commanded with mock severity; “this is a party, and we don’t sit on the floor at parties.  Besides, we’re going to play a game.”

“Oh, we’d rather talk to Arthur,” answered Bert bluntly.  “You girls can play games in the library if you want to.”

There was a chorus of protest from the girls, in the midst of which Frank and Joe set Bert forcibly on his feet, while Phil said paternally, “Son, son, is that the way you talk to your sister?  You’re going to have plenty of chance to talk to Arthur from now on, so come along and play like a good little boy.”

It was Dorothy’s turn to choose, and she took what her brother called a mean advantage by immediately choosing Arthur and establishing her camp around the big chair.  Bert’s side went reluctantly into the library, and the game began by sending Philip and Katharine into the hall to choose what the others should guess.

In spite of the fact that what she most wanted had come to pass Ruth still felt uncomfortable, indeed almost unhappy.  To be sure Arthur had come down, but would he ever forgive what she had said to him?  She had been quick to see that at first he had resented her advent into the family, and it was with a secret pride that she had lately realized that they were getting to be good friends.  “Now I have spoiled all that,” she thought mournfully.  “He may be glad I made him come down, but I know he’ll never forget the horrid things I said.”

Katharine and Philip fondly hoped that they had chosen something which would puzzle their friends for some time.  It was not long, however, before Charlotte, whose skilful questioning was the admiration of her own side and the despair of the other, had gradually drawn from Philip the fact that the object thought of was the right eye of the first fish Frank had caught the last time he went fishing.  As Philip reluctantly assented there was a shout of joy from Bert’s side, and an answering chorus of groans from the music-room.  Then Charlotte and Jack went out and tried their best to think of something almost unguessable, and at last Ruth was sent out to wait for some one from the other side who seemed to be slow in coming.