The merry games being over, all went to the dining-room for the feast that was spread there.
The children were paired off, and, while Mrs. Fulton played stirring strains on the piano, they marched around the rooms, and so out to the dining-room.
The elaborately decorated table called forth shouts of joy, and soon all were seated in chairs round the room, enjoying the good things.
On the table were jack-o'-lanterns made not only of pumpkins, but of squashes, turnips, and even of big red or green apples.
Candles were burning in all of these, and standing about the table were queer little gnomes and witches, made of nuts, or of dried prunes. These little figures were souvenirs, and were distributed to all the guests. The ice-cream was in the form of little yellow pumpkins, and proved to taste quite as good as it looked. There were also more substantial viands, such as nut sandwiches, apple salad, pumpkin pie, and grape jelly. Everything had some reference to Hallowe'en or to Harvest Home, and the children were not too young to appreciate this.
Supper was just about over when Mr. Maynard came after his children.
"Oh, Father," cried Marjorie, "you said you wouldn't come till nine o'clock!"
"But it's quarter-past nine now, my daughter."
"It can't be!" exclaimed Midge, greatly surprised; and everybody said, "Is it, really?"
"But we must have one merry round game before we part," said Mrs. Fulton, and, though several parents had arrived to take their little ones home, they all agreed to wait ten minutes more.