At last, they lined up the floats in front of the verandah, and then the six, joining hands, repeated the birthday poem, which King had made up for the occasion. Kitty thought it wasn’t very poetical, but she had been too busy with her mermaids to make a poem herself, so they had all learned King’s. They didn’t sing it, but they recited it in such a sing-song voice, that it was just as good.
“Larky, Larky!
Harky, Harky!
To our Birthday ode.
While we sing
As we bring
Presents, quite a load!”
It wasn’t very poetical, perhaps, but the enthusiasm of its recital so pleased Miss Larkin, that she wanted to have it repeated several times, and her request was obligingly granted.
“Now,” said Marjorie, “shall we have the presentation of gifts first, or the feast?”
“Gifts,” said practical Kitty; “then the supper, and then it will be time for the party to be over. If it isn’t, we can play games.”