"I couldn't do that, Bettyhad such a big dinner and all the folks are around at home. But do you give me leave to bring whom I can tonight?"

"I _think so!_ Bring Louise and somebody else for Ramon."

"Great idea. Let's see, three of you, all freshmen?"

"Yes. The girls were in my cla.s.s."

"All right. It's a surprise party, then, just as Chet had the nerve to suggest. Tell your mother and surprise the girls."

"Glorious. I'm delighted that he though of it. Do get Carolyn and Peggy if you can."

"They already know about it, in case it is decided."

"Oh, then you really meant to do something!"

"She doubts my word! Listendon't get refreshments ready, unless you have the stuff to make the taffy. I don't know whether the girls could bring that or not and the stores are closed. We were just going to order ice-cream sent around, and what else we could get."

"Listen, Ted, yourself. Mother has the most delicious cake, extra big, because we baked up for company, you know. Have the ice-cream if you must, but not another thing, please."

What fun it was to plan something with Ted! Betty felt quite grown up.

First they had a senior to dinner, now here was a junior, with probably Louise coming and loads of fun ahead!

The girls and Ramon were both wondering what could detain Ted and Betty in the hall, but Ramon hesitated to rise until Ted should appear. That he did at once, however, with a last word to Betty. He was properly respectful in meeting Betty's father and mother and bowed a friendly greeting to the girls, d.i.c.k, Doris and little Amy Lou, who had wakened and was sleepily arranging a row of tiny dolls on the window sill.

"The boys have something on hand and want the 'Don' this afternoon. I'll deliver him in two or three hours or so. Supper will not be too early, will it?"

"Not after a late dinner," Mrs. Lee a.s.sured Ted, "but it would be better to 'deliver' our guest by seven at least."

"Before that, I promise you," answered Ted. "Don't forget, Betty, our little scheme."

"How could I?" replied Betty.

CHAPTER XI: THE "SURPRISE" PARTY

"What is the great scheme, Betty?" asked Doris.

"I'm not telling, Dodie," said Betty, "but you will know before long perhaps. It's just something the boys and girls are going to do. By the way, Mother, may I consult you about something? I need permission for something not to be divulged as yet."

"You are making us curious, Betty," lightly said Janet. "Come on, Sue, try that new tune of yours on Betty's piano."

Mr. Lee had left the room and d.i.c.k followed him to ask that the car be gotten out for a ride. "All right, son. Perhaps the girls and Mother will like to go."

Betty and her Mother escaped to the kitchen, where they started on the dishes, hoping that the sounds of china would not be noticeable in the front room. The visitors were only too good about offering their services. "You must go, Mother, with Amy Lou, because you've been in working all day," said Betty, with decision, "and that will never do on Thanksgiving. Besides, there's something else on hand and I don't know what you'll think of it!"

"Confess, Betty," said Mrs. Lee, smiling and making a fine suds for her gla.s.ses and silver.

"First tell me that you'll go, Mother, for I'll stay and finish these up and begin to fix things for our supper."

"All right, child. I'll go. Now what?"

Betty at once told about the surprise party "all rather on the spur of the moment, Mother, at least as far as having it tonight is concerned.

And I think Ted is in it only because he found Ramon here and thought it would be good for him to stay."

"Why do you think sobecause Ted is older?"

"Yes. But it gives him a chance to take Louise to something different, you see. I think that Ted has a sort of 'case' on Louise Madison."

"I see. Yes, Betty, I think we can manage it. Haven't you any idea how many are coming?"

"Nothat's the mischief, but I suppose not a great many."

"We are well prepared for things to eat. If the cake does not last as long as we thought, it does not matter. Your friends will be welcome.

There is that fruit cake that I baked for Christmas, too, and we can use that if we run short. We'll make a hot drink and the cake and ice-cream, with taffy, ought to be enough in all conscience, especially on Thanksgiving. If your father is ready before we finish, whisk off the tablecloth, Betty, and use the lunch things for supper. But don't concern yourself about the meal. Just get your room ready for the girls to take their wraps to and look around to pick up anything that is out of order. Fortunately, Amy Lou will want to go to bed before they come."

"Yes, and everything is all fixed up for company, even if it doesn't exactly stay put with all of us. Oh, you're so nice, Mother! It's such a relief!"

At this point, Janet and Sue ran out to the kitchen and took ap.r.o.ns from the hooks upon the wall. "Did you think that we wouldn't want to help?"

asked Sue, reproachfully. "Let me wipe and you put away, Betty, for I don't know where things go."

"Well, since you insist," laughed Betty, pulling a dry towel from a drawer. "Come help me take off and fold up the big tablecloth, Janet, and a lot of the dishes and nearly all of the silver can go back on the table. Where are the other linen things, Mother?"

"Same drawer as usual. After lunch we'll take out the leaves and,"but Mrs. Lee did not finish, for she had nearly told the reason for making more room in the dining room. The two large rooms ought to hold quite a number of boys and girls, she thought. But Mother was tired, as Betty had surmised, and she knew that she needed to get away for a few minutes at least.

Mr. Lee had been obliged to do something to the car, or change a tire, though no one inquired what, when, after just time enough to get the main part of the dishes done, they heard a honking in front. "That couldn't be Ted back with Ramon, could it?" thought Betty, rather panicky. But it was only the family car honking for pa.s.sengers. All was well!

"Aren't you coming Betty?" asked Janet, surprised.

"No, Janet, I want to start things and some one ought to be here in case Ramon comes back early. He has to come when they bring him, you know.

Moreover, if you all go, it is just as well not to be too crowded."

Betty was glad to be by herself for a little while. She finished putting the kitchen in order, washing the last pan. Then she flew back to the bedroom to see that dresser and all were neat and to hang away a few things that she and the girls had left out. She decided that there was a prettier set of lace covers for the little dressing table and put them out. She hoped that the girls would not notice particularly and she looked up some embroidered guest towels, ready to whisk them into place when the guest should first arrive. Or her mother could put on the finishing touches in the bath room if she were welcoming the crowd.

Betty felt a little excited, wanting her friends to like her home and knowing that some of them, Carolyn among others, had so much more room.

It was hard to be so crowded. No, it wasn't. It was all right when they were by themselves, and she was sure that anybody that _was_ anybody would like her for herself! It was Betty's first feeling of responsibility for the appearance of a house, a temporary one, to be sure. She had been accustomed to do what she was told, but the roomy old place "at home" had no such problems as this apartment.

There was a ring of the bell before Betty had thought about the light supper, though to be sure her mother had said she was to feel no responsibility for that. Betty rushed to the door, to find Ramon there.

Again he looked apologetic and hesitatingly said, "I'm afraid I'm too early, but Ted and the boys brought me on. Ted is driving around to see one or two of the girls."

"Come right in," cordially Betty invited. "Sit down and read the paper or something till I start things a little in the kitchen. I think the earlier we get our supper, or lunch of a sort, out of the way the better, don't you? Or did Ted tell you what is going on?"

"Yes, he did," replied Ramon, as he obediently walked into the living room after having divested himself of his overcoat and hat. "Say, Miss Betty, we had such a wonderful dinner that you surely won't do much for supper, will you? I feel as if it's an imposition for me to come back, and yet,-"

"And yet what would be the use of going home and then coming right back to a party?" finished Betty.

"Well, that was it, of course; and then it is so homelike here and so different from what I have all the time."