“I’d like to hear about them,” replied Porter. “I just love fighting and adventures. Basil is so different; he fights if he has to like a regular corker, but he never is ready to pitch in at any time as I am.”
Persis laughed. “I shall have to look out for you then.”
“Ho! You don’t suppose I’d fight a girl, do you? What do you do with yourselves in the evening?”
“Oh, all sorts of things. To-night—why, to-night is Hallowe’en. We must do something wild and bold and giddy. I wish I knew some more boys, but I don’t,—that is, not any that I like,—so we’ll just have to do the best we can among ourselves. We’ll play tricks or something.”
Porter’s eyes sparkled. “I know a lot of tricks,” he replied. “I say, Baz, Persis is bang-up.”
Basil smiled and Persis blushed at the slangy compliment.
Then followed a whispered consultation, and the three, with suppressed mirth, stole quietly up-stairs with all the speed possible.
CHAPTER II.
ALL-HALLOWE’EN.
“Where are those children?” Mrs. Holmes was saying when, in answer to a ring at the door, Prue announced two ladies to see “Mr. and Mrs. Holmes and the young ladies.”