Mr. and Mrs. Williamson looked back and laughed. The light from the kitchen streamed through the doorway and showed a wild-looking group on the porch.
“I’m glad they didn’t want any others,” said Mrs. Williamson, as they reached the Larue house. “They get on so well together that they do not really need any more to make a party.”
Left alone, Margy and Fred, as host and hostess, announced that the games would begin at once. Of course the false-faces had to come off and the gloves, too, and Fred had to fold back his brown hood, while Artie and Ward had to step “out of their skin,” as they put it, to duck for apples.
This was not Ward’s favorite pastime, for it always made him gasp dreadfully; but he wouldn’t beg off, and manfully went groping about under the water till he nearly choked. He never succeeded in getting hold of an apple, but Fred brought up two and Polly one, while Jess and Artie each lifted one by the stem, merely to drop it before it reached the surface.
Then they tackled the swaying marshmallow on the string, and most of them were liberally coated with the snowy powder before Margy grasped the mallow in her strong little white teeth and swallowed it and nearly swallowed the string, too.
“Now the plate of flour,” commanded Fred, when the marshmallow was gone. “Put your hands behind you, every one, and do your best.”
Ward made a desperate effort, but, unfortunately, opened his eyes when his face was buried in the flour and coughed and sputtered so much as he tried to wink them clear again, that Fred pulled him out in great alarm.
“Let me try,” begged Artie.
He took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and ducked into the flour for the hidden ring. Alas, he had found the ring and was ready to take it in his teeth when he found he could not hold his breath another minute. He let it out in one great rush, and the flour flew in all directions, most of it landing on the interested five standing near.
“Never mind,” said Margy, kindly, for Artie looked distressed. “We have plenty more flour, and Mother said she didn’t care how much mess we made in the kitchen. It’s easy to clean.”