"Somebody"ll tell something, see "f they don"t!" he said, nodding and laughing.
It was now just a week from the day set for the party.
Arabella, hurrying along the avenue, tried to thrust her arms into the sleeves of her jacket.
"O dear! I shouldn"t think this jacket had any armholes!" she cried impatiently.
She had hurried out before Aunt Matilda could stop her, and she was trying to get her jacket on without pausing to do so. At last her arms were in her sleeves, and she looked ahead to see if any one was in sight.
"She"ll be awful cross if I"m late," thought Arabella, and she tried to run even faster.
There were two reasons for Arabella"s haste. The first was that she had promised to meet Patricia, and the second reason was that it was Sat.u.r.day morning, and if she remained at home Aunt Matilda would be sure to find something for her to do. Of course Aunt Matilda would ask where she had been, and why she had run out so early, and oh, no end of questions!
"It"ll be by-"m-bye when Aunt Matilda questions me," whispered Arabella, adding cheerfully: "and by-"m-bye isn"t _now_."
"h.e.l.lo!" called Patricia, "you"re some late, but not _very_."
"Why, I"m here as soon as you are," said Arabella.
"I know that," Patricia replied, "but I thought you"d be over to my house by this time."
"Aren"t we "most there?" questioned Arabella.
"Almost, and not quite," said Patricia, "and anyway I was going to stop at a store before I go over to my house. Ma gave me some money and I"m going to spend it for candy. Have you got any to spend?"
Arabella shook her head.
"Aunt Matilda won"t let me spend money; she has her views about folks spending money, she says."
"I wouldn"t want her for _my_ aunt," said Patricia.
"Well, she isn"t your aunt," snapped Arabella, and now they had reached the little candy store, and Patricia, grasping Arabella"s hand, walked boldly in.
Arabella was greatly impressed, and when Patricia asked her which kind she would like to have, she managed to just whisper that _any_ kind would do.
At Arabella"s home Aunt Matilda reigned supreme, and it was said that no one, not even Mr. Corryville, dared spend any money, unless Aunt Matilda approved, but that might not be true.
Arabella thought it very grand that Patricia had enough money to buy whatever she wished, and her surprise increased when she chose a half-pound of two different kinds, ordering the clerk to put them in separate papers.
"You can have that bundle, and I"ll have this," said Patricia, as they left the store, "and now we"ll go over to my house, it"s that one next to the school."
Arabella looked toward the house at which Patricia pointed. It did not look at all like the homes of her other friends. Patricia rang the bell, and they heard the lock slip, then they commenced to mount the stairs.
The building was four stories high, and Patricia lived on the top floor.
"We like the top floor because it"s so airy," she said.
Arabella said nothing, but when they were seated cosily in the corners of an old sofa, each with her package of candy, Arabella was glad that she had come.
A few moments later Patricia"s mother entered. She was showily dressed, and her many pieces of jewelry made Arabella stare. She did not know that those glittering rings and bangles were worth very little money.
"Now, Patricia, you know I don"t like to have you buy so much candy,"
whined Mrs. Lavine.
"I haven"t _much_ candy," replied Patricia, "that Arabella"s got belongs to her."
Arabella looked quickly at Patricia. Was not that a sort of fib?
Patricia had not _said_ that Arabella had bought her package of candy, but she had certainly intended her mother to think so.
Mrs. Lavine took a book from the table, and sat down by the window to read.
Soon Patricia became restless.
"Let"s go out again," she said, and in a few moments they were running down the stairs, and out into the street.
"I"ve got a little more money, and we"ll have some ice cream," said Patricia.
Arabella wondered where she got her money, but dared not ask her, and while she was thinking about it Patricia spoke.
"I asked you over to my house because I think I"d like you for my best friend," she said, "and because I"ve got something to tell you."
Arabella stared at her through her gla.s.ses, but she said nothing.
"You"re sort of old-fashioned," Patricia continued, "but I guess we can play together nicely, and you needn"t be provoked at what I said, for we"re going to have a secret the very first thing, and I"ll tell it to you when we"re having our ice cream."
They entered a tiny store which the sign stated was an "Ice Cream Parlor." There was room for but three little tables, but Arabella thought it quite grand, for the wall-paper was covered with gaudy flowers, and the ice cream was very pink.
They took tiny sips that the treat might last longer, and Arabella watched Patricia, and waited to hear what she had to tell.
At last Patricia lost patience.
"Why don"t you ask what the secret is?" she asked.
"Why don"t you tell it if it"s worth telling?" Arabella asked, coolly.
"I _guess_ it"s worth telling," said Patricia. "Say, you"ll be at Dorothy Dainty"s party, won"t you?"
"Of course I"ll be there; my costume is "most done."
"What"s it going to be?"
"Why, don"t you remember we are not to tell any one what we are to wear; not even the color of our dominoes?" Arabella asked in surprise.
"Well, we didn"t promise not to tell," said Patricia, "and, anyway, I"m going to tell you. Ma has made me a Spanish dress, all spangles, and red ribbons, and gold tinsel, and my domino that will cover it for the first of the evening will be bright yellow! I"ve told you, Arabella Corryville, because now you"ll know which I am, as soon as you see me, and you"ll be just mean if you don"t tell me now what you"re going to wear." Arabella hesitated.
"Dorothy wouldn"t like to have us tell," she said.
"Well, we needn"t tell her we told, and what about _me_? Here I"ve treated you to candy and ice cream, and told you all about my costume.