untouched on his plate, and after a time, Polly having crept
back to her seat, the biscuits had been passed around again, and
the grand cake with the candies on top had been cut, the pink
and white sticks were divided, and the doughnuts went up and
down the table, and lo and behold! the party was over.

"I've had a birthday party," said Ab'm, with great satisfaction,
sliding out of his chair with a black look for Joel, and
stuffing what he couldn't eat into his pocket.

"You come with me," said Mrs. Beebe to Joel, "and let the others
go back into the shop." So he followed her into a little entry,
and out of that opened a cupboard.

"Now there's a paper bag up on that shelf," said Mrs. Beebe.
"You can climb up and git it; that's right. Now, says I." She
waddled back to the supper table. "Come here, Joel, my boy, and
hold it open there and there." In went the biggest doughnuts
that were left, some little biscuits, several pieces of the fine
cake, and last of all, three or four pink and white sticks.

"You tell your Ma," said Mrs. Beebe, speaking very soft, "that
Mr. Beebe an' me thinks a sight o' you, an' that you're a-comin'
out here to spend the day just as soon as Ab'm goes. Now
remember."

"Yes'm, I will," said Joel, twisting up his bag. "An' I'll come,
Mrs. Beebe, if Mamsie'll let me."

"An' take care the things don't fall out," warned Mrs. Beebe.