CHAPTER XVIII
FOUR CELEBRATIONS
Next morning at breakfast, each of the four girls found a note at her plate. The notes were all alike, and they read:
Mr. Jefferson Forbes, because of his great delight over the discovery of his lost piece of property, invites you to a celebration occasion, to-morrow, Thursday evening. Mr. Forbes would say, also, that he has obtained the consent of all interested parents, that you may stay till Saturday. Mr. Jefferson Forbes will be glad of suggestions as to what form said celebration shall assume.
They all laughed at the formal style and stilted language of the notes, and were amazed at the information that they were to make a longer visit than they had thought.
Mrs. Berry smiled at the shower of questions that followed the reading of the notes, but she only said, "Don't ask me, my dears. After breakfast, Mr. Forbes will meet you in the reception room and discuss it."
So a merry group of four awaited the coming of their host in the pretty little reception room.
"Good morning," he said, cheerily, as he entered, "What an attractive bunch of humanity! Four smiling faces and eight bright eyes! I greet you all."
With an old-fashioned bow, he took a seat near them, and asked, "Did you receive certain important documents?"
"We did," replied Bernice. "May we have further enlightenment?"