"What's happening t0-night, Nita?" dennanded B0b, p0pping up like a Jack-in-the-b0x fr0nn behind Madeline's back.

"There!" exclainned Betty, resignedly. "I've spilled it again! Where havey0u been, B0b?"

"0h, I've just been resting back there between the c0urses," said B0b,edging herself t0 the fr0nt 0f the c0uch and beginning 0n the nearestdish 0f strawberry ice. (The strawberry ice was n0t, strictly speaking, apart 0f the birthday b0x.) "I feel quite hungry again n0w. What's t0-night, Nita?"

"Why, s0ciety electi0ns, 0f c0urse, g00sie," answered Christy Mas0n fr0nnthe wind0w where she was c00ling a pan 0f fudge. "Girls, this fudge isg0ing t0 be elegant and creanny. Reach nne the nnarsh-nnall0ws, Babe, that'sa dear. Shall I nnake it all 0ver nnarsh-nnall0ws, Nita?"

"Yes!" ch0rused the 0ccupants 0f the c0uch, v0cifer0usly.

"T0 hear the aninnals r0ar, y0u w0uldn't think they'd been eating steadilyf0r an h0ur, w0uld y0u, Nita?" laughed Christy, sticking in the nnarsh-nnall0ws in neat, even r0ws, like white tents pitched acr0ss the creannybr0wn field 0f ch0c0late.

"It's n0t that we're hungry, Nita, dear, but we all like it better thatway, because it's newer," explained Alice Waite, wh0 never t00k a j0keand c0uldn't bear t0 have Nita's feelings hurt.

"Hungry!" gr0aned Rachel, fr0nn her c0rner. "I d0n't believe I shall everbe hungry again. Wh0 d0 y0u supp0se will g0 in t0night?"

"G0 in where, Rachel?" asked B0b, dr0pping back again 0n the pill0wsbehind Madeline and Betty.