"
"Who told you?" he demanded.
"Never mind, I told you I'd find out," and she ran away without
giving him a chance to ask any more questions.
An hour later, when the boys came downstairs, there was Aunt Zelie
looking as if she had never, never been away, and the girls quite
consumed with delight at their surprise.
"Louise, that was mean!" Carl cried. "How long have you been here, I'd
like to know?" with one of his bearlike hugs.
"I did not _mean_ to be mean, really, and you and Ikey can have all
the candy you want," said Louise generously.
Mrs. Howard had certainly no reason to doubt her popularity. The news
of her arrival spread, and the next day in the afternoon she held an
impromptu reception.
One after another the boys and girls dropped in, till the whole eleven
were there. The first to arrive was Jim, with a great bunch of roses,
at which extravagance Aunt Zelie shook her head, though she could not
help appreciating their beauty and Jim's thoughtfulness.
Ikey wished that he could do magnificent things like that,--he
sometimes dreamed of it,--but alas! he was in a chronically penniless
state. He had nothing for her but a message from his mother, but when
he screwed up sufficient courage to deliver it it seemed to please her
as much as the roses.
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